Uefa confirms Tottenham Hotspur v Rennes game is off due to Covid outbreak

Europa Conference League game to be rearranged while Spurs' Premier League clash with Brighton on Sunday also in doubt

Tottenham Hotspur's Euro Europa Conference League game with Rennes on Thursday night is off after 13 players and staff at the London club tested positive for Covid-19. EPA

Tottenham Hotspur's Europa Conference League game with Rennes on Thursday has been called-off due a Covid-19 outbreak at the Premier League club.

Spurs announced on Wednesday that they would not play the game due to the outbreak at the club, where up to 13 players and staff have tested positive.

The French side, who are already through as group winners, claimed that it was a “unilateral decision” made by Spurs and there was no official announcement from Uefa.

But European football's governing body confirmed on Thursday that the Group G game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was off and discussions over a new date are continuing.

“We can confirm that the Tottenham-Rennes match will not take place tonight,” Uefa said in a statement. “Further information will follow in due course.”

Uefa rules state there is a December 31 deadline for group games to be completed but it is understood there could be some room for manoeuvre on that as Spurs have a packed domestic schedule before then, while Rennes go on a winter break on December 22.

The postponement left Rennes furious, with the French side saying they had been told by Tottenham the game would go ahead before boarding a flight to London.

Rennes have already won the group, while Tottenham are level on seven points with third-placed Vitesse Arnhem.

It has been reported that the London club are now considering asking for their Premier League match at Brighton on Sunday to be postponed.

After the Brighton game, Spurs face top-flight fixtures against Leicester on December 16 and Liverpool on December 19.

Last season, Tottenham had matches against Aston Villa and Fulham postponed due to Covid outbreaks within the opposition camps.

With the first-team area of Tottenham’s training ground currently shut due to the outbreak, the chances of the Brighton game going ahead appear slim.

On Wednesday, manager Antonio Conte expressed his concern at the situation. “The problem is that every day we are having people with Covid,” the Italian said at a press conference, which was held virtually.

“People that yesterday weren’t positive, today were positive and we continue to have contact with people we think are negative but the day after become positive. I think this is a serious problem.

“The worst is we don’t know and we continue to have contact with people that the day before were negative. For sure this is not a good situation.

“At the end of the training session today, again one player positive. Another member of staff is positive.”

Rennes accused Spurs of causing “London fog” by refusing to tell them how many cases they had and informing them in the afternoon that the game would be played, only to call it off an hour after they had arrived in the capital.