Tottenham vs Rennes Europa League match suspended after Covid-19 outbreak, UEFA confirms | football news

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UEFA has confirmed that Tottenham’s Europa League match against Rennes has been suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Premier League.

Tottenham said on Wednesday evening that the match had been called off, but Rennes disputed the statement, saying UEFA had not yet confirmed the decision.

It came on the heels of the disclosure that eight first-team players and five Tottenham staff members had tested positive for Covid-19.

The French club said that the decision to cancel the match was taken by Tottenham “unilaterally” and that it wanted to play the match as scheduled, but UEFA said Thursday morning to Sky Sports News that the match would not go ahead.

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Antonio Conte had asked why his players and staff had to keep preparing for their next matches after the Covid outbreak

UEFA regulations usually mean that matches cannot be postponed unless the club has fewer than 13 players or no registered goalkeeper is available.

All European group stage matches must be completed by the end of 2021, with Spurs already facing a packed celebratory schedule and leaving no clear window to rearrange the match.

Tottenham need to beat Rennes, who have already made sure of taking top spot, to have a chance of qualifying for the Round of 32.

Could Tottenham’s match against Brighton be postponed?

In the Premier League, the 2021-22 handbook states that permission will not be granted to postpone a league match if a club has 14 or more players on its available team roster.

However, the decision to postpone league matches is made on a case-by-case basis, and the decision will be made by the Premier League Board of Directors if a request is received from a club.

Speaking on Wednesday, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte did not reveal whether the club had contacted the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s Premier League visit to Brighton.

The Premier League matches are postponed on a case-by-case basis and the decision will be made by the Premier League Board of Directors if a request is received from a club.

Tottenham matches: what’s new?

December 12: Brighton vs Tottenham – Premier League, 2pm

December 16: Leicester vs Tottenham (Premier League, 7.30pm)

December 19: Tottenham vs Liverpool – Premier League kick-off, 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports

December 22: Tottenham vs West Ham – Carabao Cup, 7.45pm, live on Sky Sports

December 26: Tottenham vs Crystal Palace (Premier League, 3pm)

Conflicting messages in football: When will the match be postponed due to Covid?

In the Premier League, the 2021-22 handbook states that permission will not be granted to postpone a league match if a club has 14 or more players on its available team roster.

However, the decision to postpone league matches is made on a case-by-case basis, and the decision will be made by the Premier League Board of Directors if a request is received from a club.

Last season, the Premier League postponed six matches due to cases of Covid-19 in clubs, including Tottenham’s match against Fulham, which was canceled on match day.

However, on the opening day of this season, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta left a surprise that his side’s opening game in the Premier League against Brentford was not postponed following a severe Covid-19 outbreak at the club.

Photo: Arsenal starting line-up against Brentford on opening day

Arsenal without Alexandre Lacazette, Alex Ronarson, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Willian lost 2-0 after it was confirmed that the four were infected with the Covid-19 virus.

“Yes, I was surprised, but the organizers decided the best thing to do was play the game,” Arteta said.

But while the opening game of the Premier League season progressed in England even as several first-team players were left out, the story in Scotland was quite different.

In November, Hibernian’s Premier League matches against Ross County and Livingston were postponed after two of Hibern’s players tested positive.

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