UEFA is considering postponing the Conference League game between Tottenham Hotspur and Stade Rennes, reports the Daily Mail. According to the newspaper, Tottenham is “optimistic” about the chance of the game being rescheduled. The number of players infected with the corona virus would have risen to eleven.
Tottenham officials are in contact with UEFA. Confidence is growing within the club that the match can be caught up later. Eight infected players and five members of the coaching staff were previously reported, but the Daily Mail speaks of ‘thirteen infections, eleven of which with players’. It is not clear what exactly the situation is. The number of positive tests fluctuates as infected players have been in contact with each other in recent days and testing is done daily.
At the press conference prior to Thursday’s game, coach Antonio Conte already showed his support for postponing the game. “Obviously this is a serious problem. Everyone is a little scared. People have families. Why should we take the risk? That’s the question. Who’s next tomorrow? Me? I don’t know. Better I’m a player, sure, but I don’t think it’s good for anyone,” said the coach.
Tottenham will play at home against Stade Rennes on Thursday evening for a place in the knockout phase of the Conference League. UEFA regulations require a team with at least thirteen fit players and a registered goalkeeper to start the match. Recently, a match between Belenenses against Benfica was canceled for that reason. The home team started with nine players due to a corona outbreak, but saw the game stopped when it had only six players left on the field. There is a minimum number of fourteen players in the Premier League.
Tottenham and Vitesse compete for a place in the knockout phase of the Conference League. The Conte team will compete in-house against the already seeded Stade Rennes, while Vitesse, which, like the Spurs on seven points from five matches, plays at home against NS Mura. The goal difference is in favor of Tottenham (+3 versus +1). Conte said he has no idea yet whether he can play with his team on Thursday evening. “I only had eleven players available for the game and at the end of training someone who would start in the starting eleven tested positive. That’s a scary idea.”
According to the Daily Mail Tottenham barely has enough players at their disposal to comply with UEFA’s rules, also bearing in mind the suspension of Ryan Sessegnon. As a result, the competition could take place, but the selection has been weakened to such an extent that it is hoped for the common sense from UEFA. The European association communicated on Wednesday that it is expected that the match will continue, but is keeping a close eye on developments.