Highlights:
- Six first-team players of Tottenham Hotspurs have tested positive along with two members of backroom staff days before its scheduled Europa Conference League clash with Rennes.
- UEFA affirms match to take place as scheduled despite the outbreak
Half a dozen of Tottenham’s first-team players in addition to two members of Manager Antonio Conte’s squad have tested positive for Covid-19 deranging the Team’s preparation to face Rennes at the Europa Conference League. PCR test results are awaited post which the extent of the problem will be determined.
UEFA confirms that the match will take place as scheduled despite the outbreak. Double vaccination has been received in the past by all players concerned as communicated to UEFA by Spurs. Tottenham is constantly in touch with the governing body providing regular updates on the developing situation.
It is crucial for Spurs to defeat Rennes, who have sealed the top spot in the group, in order to make it to the knockouts ahead of fighting Brighton on Sunday and consequent Premier League matches in opposition to Leicester and Liverpool in the coming week.
If additional players of the Spurs test positive for the virus, they may hold talks with the Premier League over visiting Amex stadium on Sunday and appeal for a postponement. However, in accordance with the UEFA rules, the Tottenham-Rennes fixture would be uncertain if the availability is less than 13 players or in the absence of a registered goalkeeper.
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A fresh round of the biweekly Premier League lateral flow testing will be conducted at the club’s training ground whose results can be expected by Wednesday afternoon. Adhering to government protocols, PCR tests are used in Premier League which yield readings with high accuracy to determine the positives returned with lateral flow testing. The ones who are positive will have to undergo mandatory isolation for ten days from the day of their result.
The latest round of testing conducted last week confirmed a total of 12 positives out of 3154 players and club staff, as confirmed by the Premier League.
In case of a delay of the Tottenham vs Rennes match, there might be unavailability of a window to reschedule it considering the fact that all UEFA matches have to be concluded by 31st December and Spurs’ schedule requires the team to play every midweek and weekend match until New Year.
Clubs can make appeals to the Premier League in cases of failure to fulfil fixtures on account of covid outbreaks. The Premier League Board would then take the final decision with a couple of matches delayed to covid last season.
Cancellation of last month’s visit to Burnley at the 11th hour owing to heavy snowfall leaves Tottenham with a game in hand in the League.