The Europa League Conference meeting between Tottenham and Rennes, scheduled for Thursday in London and postponed due to cases of Covid-19 within the English team, could not be rescheduled and must therefore be canceled, announced on Saturday the UEFA.
"
Unfortunately, and despite all efforts, a solution that could suit the two clubs could not be found,
" a spokesperson told AFP, specifying that the result of this group match would be determined by its supervisory and disciplinary body.
To discover
Fixtures and results Europa League
Europa League standings
3-0 loss on the green carpet?
Rennes, leader of the group, has already qualified for the round of 16, Tottenham had to win to snatch 2nd place, synonymous with play-offs, at Vitesse Arnhem.
The London club are expected to lose the meeting 3-0 on the green carpet, as provided for in the UEFA regulations for European competitions, adapted to the pandemic since the 2020-21 season.
This is the case for a package linked to Covid if a team cannot field "
at least thirteen players
" including a goalkeeper, because a large part of its workforce is sick or in quarantine, or if it is judged "
responsible for the non-progress of a match
”. A sign that the current coronavirus outbreak is catching up with European football, eight players and five staff members have tested positive for Covid-19 at Tottenham, while Leicester had to travel to Naples in the Europa League without seven of its players.
UEFA had to announce Thursday morning the postponement of the meeting, forcing Rennes to take the way home after an unnecessary trip.
Finding a postponement date looked complicated, with Tottenham having six domestic fixtures to play by December 28.
A defeat on the green carpet would lead to the elimination of the London club from the Europa League conference.
