MAKING A RENNES FOR IT
In a city where Downing Street Christmas parties that don’t actually happen appear to happen with monotonous regularity, it’s no great surprise to learn that Tin Pot games that are definitely being played don’t get played. Having received reassurances before travelling on Wednesday that their match against Tottenham was definitely going ahead despite a serious outbreak of Covid among the hosts’ ranks, French side Rennes arrived in London only to discover Spurs had announced the match would no longer be taking place.
“We can confirm that our [Tin Pot] Group G home fixture will not take place after a number of positive Covid-19 cases at the club,” said Tottenham, in a statement the Ligue 1 side quickly countered with one of their own, announcing it was a “unilateral decision which has not been confirmed by Uefa in any way”. Their grumbles seem entirely justifiable, considering they only flew to London after being told in an email from Spurs that the game that now isn’t going ahead would definitely be going ahead. By Thursday morning, Uefa confirmed the postponement, prompting Rennes to pack their bags and return home still upset at their waste of time. Once they’ve calmed down, they’ll almost certainly recognise the wisdom of not taking to the field against players who have almost certainly been in close contact with teammates who have since tested positive for a contagious virus, but it does little to dispel the air of farce surrounding the whole affair.
As early as Tuesday it was common knowledge that seven Tottenham players and two backroom staff had tested positive for Covid, numbers that rose to eight and five, respectively, within 24 hours. “Tomorrow, who? Me?” sighed a visibly emotional and cross Antonio Conte in his pre-match press conference, before pondering aloud why he and his players were being forced to continue preparing for a game he did not know at the time would ultimately be called off. “This is not a good thing for you, the fans and staff. Everyone is a bit scared, we all have families. I ask why? Why? Yesterday we trained and two positives, today we trained and – after – another two positives. Who next? It’s not right, we’re going home to our families.”
With the first-team area of their training ground now closed, their weekend match against Brighton unlikely to go ahead and next Thursday’s ding-dong against Covid-affected Leicester sure to be in doubt, Uefa is faced with the thorny problem of having to reschedule the game between Spurs and Rennes before its 31 December deadline, despite the London club not having a spare midweek window before – given their growing backlog – what’s going to be an extremely busy new year.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I don’t know why he didn’t wait to the end, he could have got a picture then. In all seriousness, we’ve got to think about player welfare and safety” – Chelsea manager Emma Hayes after Sam Kerr was given a flamin’ booking for barging over an eejit pitch invader during the 0-0 Women’s Big Cup draw with Juventus.
FIVER LETTERS
“As a Liverpool fan, it’s been enormously entertaining watching Divock Origi score late, important goals off the bench over the last few years. The only worrying thing is that, in a few years’ time, he’s going to be brought in as a woefully under-qualified manager” – Matt Dony.
“Ooh. Hull v Everton in the FA Cup third round has been chosen by the BBC as a TV match. Congrats to all the non-league teams for getting through but we can’t be bothered to show you. The magic of the Cup, eh?” – Alex Folkes.
“If dropping to Big Vase is considered ‘an ignominy’, what adjective shall be used when they get knocked out in the last 16?” – Krishnamoorthy V.
“In Romeo and Juliet some wordy character said: ‘What’s in a name?’ Well Shakespeare, my fellow Ipswich fans will tell you there’s quite a lot, as the club has sacked three managers in double-quick time and they were all called Paul. And to a man they were a horse’s ar [snip – Fiver Taste Ed]” – Lindsay Williams.
“Re: multi-use-sounding football names (Fiver letters passim). I considered opening a pub in Manchester called United City. I thought it had a certain flair but others thought not. The day has gone now, but do you think it might have been a hit (provided there was enough profit to pay for all the bouncers)?” – Peter Lingard.
“You’re probably already aware of your slight error in yesterday’s Fiver regarding ‘Buxton United striker Diego De Girolamo’. I seem to remember a team playing in the Taverners League in Buxton going by the name of Buxton United, but I’m pretty sure Diego didn’t play for them on Sunday mornings” – Jon Cantrill.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our letter o’ the day is … Matt Dony, who bags a revised and updated version of Richard Foster’s Premier League Nuggets. We’ll give a copy away every day this week, and it is available to buy here.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Here’s the latest Football Weekly Extra podcast. There’s a new Ashes pod about too, if you’re that way inclined.
NEWS, BITS AND BOBS
Pelé has received scheduled treatment for a colon tumour. “In two or three days he will be back home to enjoy Christmas,” said his daughter Kely Nascimento.
The Dutch FA has demanded the Human Rights World Cup must deliver a legacy on LGBT and women’s rights in Qatar. “It would be even more great if we made a first step on equality between men and women and also on the LGBT discussions,” said chief suit Gijs de Jong.
They’re taking Barcelona’s exit from Big Cup well. “Barça staged their resignation from the football elite in a display of all their shortcomings,” howled the AS newspaper. “We feel very bad right now,” wailed Sergio Busquets after a 3-0 pumping by Bayern Munich. “We’re in a tough, difficult situation. We got ourselves into this mess and it hurts a lot.”
Hibs have ushered boss Jack Ross out of the door that says ‘Dae One’.
Wednesday night against, er, Young Boys, was a big night for Manchester United fledglings. Zidane Iqbal became the first British South Asian footballer to play for the club. And Robbie Savage’s son Charlie also made his bow. “I’m starting to tear up,” sniffed Sav Snr, a former United trainee shown the door by Lord Ferg.
And RB Leipzig have a new manager in Domenico Tedesco, replacing Jesse Marsch.
STILL WANT MORE?
Karen Carney weighs up the three-horse race for Premier League glory.
Barcelona have got used to humbling exits but this may take the crema Catalana, laments Sid Lowe.
The rise of NYC FC. By Graham Ruthven.
And if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO!
