Tottenham has been kicked out of Europa Conference League after it was determined that they forfeited their last group stage game against Rennes.
After the game was postponed owing to a Covid outbreak at Spurs and the two teams couldn’t agree on a new date, UEFA awarded Rennes a 3-0 victory.
This has sentenced Antonio Conte’s team to third place in Group G behind winners Rennes and Vitesse, denying them a knockout stage encounter against Rapid Vienna and sending them out of the competition.
UEFA set a deadline of December 31 for any rescheduled game to be played.
With Rennes’ winter break beginning this week and the Spurs’ December calendar already full, there was little room for the game to fit in.
Spurs were asked by UEFA to shift one of their domestic games this month to make room for the Rennes match, and their attempt to postpone last week’s trip to Leicester was refused by the Premier League before it was called off anyway owing to the Foxes’ Covid troubles.
Eight Tottenham players and five staff members tested positive for Covid, and Tottenham said 24 hours before the game that it would not be feasible to play.
Rennes was enraged by the late call, as the French team blasted their opponents for making a ‘unilateral choice.’
A match must be played as long as the team has 13 outfield players and a goalie, according to competition rules.
Spurs were believed to have just about enough players available, even without suspended Ryan Sessegnon and injured or Covid-affected players.
