PL bring back Covid rules as Spurs’ trip to Brighton is off
THE Premier League last night wrote to all 20 clubs ordering them to reimpose emergency Covid measures after Tottenham were granted their wish to postpone Sunday’s match at Brighton.
Spurs’ squad has been hit by a Covid outbreak, with yesterday’s Europa Conference League game at home to rennes already called off. The news will come as a relief to head coach Antonio Conte, whose team were facing up to playing at the Amex this weekend with a deeply depleted squad.
There remains concern that next week’s game at Leicester may also have to be postponed, especially as the Foxes have cases of their own.
Spurs’ double postponement leaves them with a major fixture backlog heading into the new year. uEFA rules state the rennes game must be played by December 31, but that will be difficult given their packed schedule this month.
If next Thursday’s game at Leicester also falls victim to Covid, the chance to play the Ligue 1 side next week would be an option. Failing that, there is hope uEFA will extend the deadline into next month. rennes have told uEFA they want the game cancelled.
Spurs also have to rearrange their Premier League game at Burnley which was postponed due to heavy snow last month.
Top-flight clubs have had to follow a stringent set of protocols since football returned in June 2020, such as social distancing and the use of PPE at training grounds. Those had been relaxed recently, but the Premier League have now told all teams that the emergency measures are back in place.
● BAYERN MUNICH midfielder Joshua Kimmich is set to miss the rest of 2021 due to a lung infection as a result of Covid. The 26-year-old said in october he was not vaccinated against the virus.