Regardless of one’s views on the Coronavirus pandemic and the continuing worry over the Omicron outbreak, it seems clear that things are going to get worse before they get better.
The UK Government have reintroduced certain rules as a result, and a Covid outbreak at Tottenham Hotspur has hit the north Londoners hard.
So hard in fact that the club have had to cancel their UEFA Europa Conference League Group G home match against Stade Rennais.
It puts a shadow over what happens next, and whether football will once again have to be played behind closed doors.
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“We can confirm that our UEFA Europa Conference League Group G home fixture against Stade Rennais will not take place tomorrow (Thursday 9 December at 8pm UK) after a number of positive COVID-19 cases at the Club,” a statement on the official Tottenham Hotspur website read.
“Discussions are ongoing with UEFA and we shall provide a further update on this fixture in due course.
“Additionally, following discussions with the Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) and DCMS advisers, the Club has been advised to close the First Team area of its Training Centre at this time, in the interests of the health and safety of players and staff.
“All other areas of the Training Centre remain operational.”
The news that so many players and staff have gone down with the virus also places Tottenham’s Premier League fixtures against Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City in serious doubt.
Both of those are due to be played in the next eight days, but the isolation period will not have expired by then.