It’s after a solution that ‘worked for both clubs’ couldn’t be found.
Tottenham’s crucial Europa Conference League game against Stade Rennais will not be rescheduled, UEFA has said.
On Wednesday, Spurs announced that the fixture – which was due to be played on Thursday (December 9) – could not take place following 13 Covid-19 cases at the club.
This decision was then criticised by their French opponents.
And on Saturday, UEFA announced that a solution that “could work for both clubs” could not be found.
In a statement, UEFA said: Following a COVID-19 outbreak in the team of Tottenham Hotspur FC ahead of the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match against Stade Rennais FC, scheduled to take place on 9 December 2021 in London, the match could not take place.
“In accordance with Annex J of the UEFA Europa Conference League regulations, UEFA, in cooperation with the two clubs tried to find a viable solution in order to reschedule the match, so as to ensure the group stage could be completed accordingly.
“Unfortunately, despite all efforts, a solution that could work for both clubs could not be found.
“As a consequence, the match can no longer be played and the matter will, therefore, be referred to the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body for a decision to be taken in accordance with Annex J of the above-mentioned competition regulations.”
The matter will now be referred to the Uefa control, ethics and disciplinary body.
It is unclear what this will mean for Tottenham’s hopes of making it to the next round of the competition.
As it stands, they sit third in their group, and therefore outside of the qualification spots for the next round.
Annex J states that the club that “cannot play the match will be held responsible for the match not taking place and the match will be declared by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body to be forfeited by the club, which will be considered to have lost it by 3-0.”
But UEFA’s decision is understood to hinge on whether Spurs had enough available players to fulfill the fixture, which would be 13 or more A list players.
Related links:
- Tottenham confirm Premier League game against Brighton postponed due to covid outbreak
- Tottenham confirm game against Rennes postponed due to covid outbreak
- Rennes hit out at Spurs after Conference League game is postponed due to Covid outbreak
