Tottenham’s Europa Conference game with Rennes postponed after Covid outbreak

Tottenham’s game against Brighton on Sunday is now likely to be postponed too

Tottenham are enduring a Covid outbreak (EPA)

Tottenham’s Europa Conference League match with Rennes has been postponed due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at the north London club.

In a press conference ahead of the match on Wednesday, before it had been called off, Spurs manager Antonio Conte revealed eight players and five members of staff had tested positive for the coronavirus. Their game against Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday is now likely to be postponed too.

“The problem is that everyday we are having people with Covid,” an emotional Conte said at the press conference, which was held virtually rather than in person at the club’s Hotspur Way training centre.

“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. Tomorrow, who (will it be)? Me? Another player? Another member of staff? And we continue in this way.”

Asked whether upcoming matches should be called off, Conte added: “I think that I haven’t [got] to send a message to anyone because the situation is very clear,” Conte said. “Every day we are having contact with the people that are false negative and become positive and then everyone is a bit scared, I think, because we all have family and why I have to take this risk?”

On Wednesday night, Spurs said in a statement: “We can confirm that our UEFA Europa Conference League Group G home fixture against Stade Rennais will not take place tomorrow (Thursday 9 December at 8pm UK) after a number of positive COVID-19 cases at the Club. Discussions are ongoing with UEFA and we shall provide a further update on this fixture in due course.

“Additionally, following discussions with the Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) and DCMS advisers, the Club has been advised to close the First Team area of its Training Centre at this time, in the interests of the health and safety of players and staff.”

After Brighton’s visit on Sunday, Spurs are due to play Leicester – who themselves are managing a Covid outbreak – in the Premier League next Thursday.