UEFA announced on Monday December 20 that the Tottenham-Rennes match in the Europa League Conference, which could not be played in early December due to a case of Covid-19 on the London side, was declared lost on the green carpet by Spurs .
No rescheduling solution having been found after the postponement of the match initially scheduled for December 9, the president of the UEFA appeal chamber pronounced the defeat of the English club by forfeit, by the score of 3-0.
Tottenham therefore finished third in their C4 group (7 pts), for lack of having had the opportunity to overtake Vitesse Arnhem (2nd, 10 pts), and are eliminated from all European competition this season. The Dutch will face Rapid Vienna in the play-off next February. Rennes, already qualified as the first in the group, had nothing more to fear or to hope for from this last group match.
Knockout round play-offs are set ✅
Which will be the most exciting game? #UECLdraw | #UECL pic.twitter.com/OuVQfsE9cP
– UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) December 13, 2021
The decision of the UEFA appeals chamber to give Tottenham a lost game only applies the regulations for European competitions, adapted to the pandemic since the 2020-21 season, which incorporates new risks of defeat by forfeit, each time with a score of 3-0.
This is the case if a team cannot field “at least thirteen players” including a goalkeeper, because a large part of his squad is sick or in quarantine, and if it is not possible to reschedule the match within the deadlines set by UEFA. The same sanction awaits a judged club “responsible for the non-progress of a match” due to restrictions imposed by its national authorities.
At the beginning of December, up to eight players and five Tottenham staff members had tested positive for Covid-19. UEFA had to announce the postponement of the meeting on the morning of December 9, forcing Rennes to take the return trip after an unnecessary trip.
Finding a postponement date was ultimately impossible, Tottenham having also suffered two postponements of Premier League games against Brighton and then Leicester for health reasons, before returning to the pitch on Sunday against Liverpool (2-2), in a context where the championship of England in turn fears the consequences of serial contamination.