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Tottenham Hotspur’s European campaign for this season is over after UEFA awarded Rennes a 3-0 victory in their final Europa Conference League group match, on Monday.
Spurs were unable to fulfil the December 9 fixture due to a swathe of COVID-19 cases in their squad.
As a result they finish third ibehind group winners, Rennes, who progress directly to the last 16, and Dutch side, Vitesse ,who now face Rapid Vienna in a knockout play-off.
“The UEFA Appeals Body took the following decision: to declare the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Stade Rennais FC, that was initially scheduled to be played on 9 December 2021, as forfeited by Tottenham Hotspur FC, who is therefore deemed to have lost the match 0-3,” the UEFA statement read.
The match in London had to be called off when Spurs manager, Antonio Conte, announced on the eve of the game that eight of his players and five members of staff had tested positive for COVID-19.
Spurs have been one of the hardest hit English clubs by the resurgence of COVID-19, largely due to the Omicron variant, having had to postpone league games against Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City as well.
However, unlike many of their domestic rivals, they were able to fulfil their fixture over the weekend, a 2-2 draw with Liverpool