COVID-hit Tottenham risks forfeit as UEFA scraps Rennes game

By Associated Press

LONDON: Tottenham’s postponed Europa Conference League game against Rennes will not be played, UEFA said Saturday, putting Spurs at risk of having to forfeit the match and be eliminated from the competition.

Tottenham said this week it couldn’t play Thursday as scheduled because of its COVID-19 outbreak that also forced the postponement of the team’s Premier League match at Brighton on Sunday.

The French club accused Tottenham of making an “unilateral decision” to postpone the game, and UEFA announced early Saturday that the clubs had not been able to agree on a date to reschedule the match.

“Unfortunately, despite all efforts, a solution that could work for both clubs could not be found,” UEFA said.

The match is the last of the group stage of the competition, with Tottenham needing a win to finish second in the group. A draw or a loss would eliminate the London club. Rennes has already clinched first place in the group.

UEFA said the game will be referred to its disciplinary body for a ruling “in accordance with Annex J” of its competition regulations. Those regulations state that if a game that was postponed because of COVID-19 cases cannot be rescheduled, the team that couldn’t play on the original date will be handed a 3-0 forfeit loss.

Eight Tottenham players and five members of staff had tested positive for the coronavirus. The team also closed its training center as a precaution