Tottenham
Hotspur manager Antonio Conte on Wednesday confirmed eight first-team players
and five staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, a day ahead of their crunch
European Conference League game against Rennes.

Spurs need
to beat Rennes in order to qualify for the knockout rounds, but the Italian
manager expects more cases. Additionally, UEFA regulations dictate Spurs cannot
postpone the match unless the team has fewer than 13 first-team players or no
registered goalkeeper available.

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“The
situation makes me very upset because the situation is serious,” Sky Sports
quoted Conte saying at a press conference ahead of the Rennes clash. “It’s
contagious and there is a big infection. Now we are a bit scared because
tomorrow we don’t know what will happen.”

Conte said
that a player and a staff member tested positive following the training session
on Wednesday, after two similar results a day before.

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“Tomorrow,
who? Me? I don’t know. Better me than a player for sure. It is not right for
everyone because we have contact with our family when we come back home,” Conte
said.

The former Chelsea
manager did not confirm whether Spurs will contact the Premier League for an
official postponement of Sunday’s game against Brighton and Hove Albion.

According
to British government regulations, players who test positive for the
coronavirus will have to isolate for 10 days.

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The Premier
League 2021-22 handbook states that clubs will not be allowed to postpone games
if more than 14 players are available. However, such decisions are taken on a
case-by-case basis and a final call will be taken by the Premier League board
if a request is made by Tottenham.

ESPN understands
that the club will approach the league to postpone the fixture. The North London
side also had their league game against Burnley last month postponed, with an
alternate date yet to be decided.