(Reuters) -Eight Tottenham Hotspur players have tested positive for COVID-19, leaving only 10 players available ahead of the club’s final Europa Conference League group match at home to France’s Stade Rennais, manager Antonio Conte said on Wednesday.
Tottenham are due to face Rennes on Thursday and European soccer’s governing body UEFA said in a statement to Reuters that the “match is due to take place as scheduled”.
“Eight players and five members of staff (have tested positive), but the problem is that every day we’re having people with COVID-19,” Conte told reporters.
“People that yesterday weren’t positive and today are, and we’re continuing to have contact with (them). It’s a serious problem.
“We had 11 players available for the match and by the end of the training session today one of the players who would start tomorrow is now positive. It’s scary. We’re all having contact.”
Conte added that he is vaccinated but when asked if the squad was, he said that was a question for the medical department.
The Italian manager also questioned why they were continuing to train with cases on the rise, saying the “situation is very clear”.
“Every day we are having contact with the people that are false negative and become positive and then everyone is a bit scared,” he added.
“I think because we all have family, why (do) I have to take this risk?”
Tottenham are second in Group G of the Conference League on seven points after five matches, above Dutch team Vitesse on overall goal difference.
Rennes, who have 11 points, are unbeaten and through to the knockout stages as group winners.
Tottenham are due to play away at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday after Thursday’s game.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Rohith Nair and Nick Macfie)
