Antonio Conte admits he is ‘a bit scared’ after a massive COVID-19 outbreak at Tottenham Hotspur, including eight players and five members of staff, and won’t confirm whether they were vaccinated or not.
The situation erupted very suddenly last night with reports of several positive tests in the matchday group.
It escalated even further today, with confirmation that eight unnamed players and five members of Conte’s staff have now contracted COVID-19.
“Now, for sure, we are a bit scared,” said Conte in his press conference.
“Every day, we are having more positives. This is not a good situation. To speak about football today is impossible. The last situation made me very upset.
“The situation is serious. There is a big infection. Again at the end of the session, one player positive, another staff positive – tomorrow, who?”
It’s a big game for Spurs, who risk crashing out of Europe altogether at the first hurdle, but UEFA rules state that the match must go ahead as long as Tottenham have 13 players available, including at least one goalkeeper.
However, Tottenham have asked the Premier League to postpone their upcoming match against Brighton on Sunday.
Conte has been vaccinated, but he would not say whether the players and staff who tested positive have also been administered with the vaccine.
“I think everyone takes [their own] best decision and is a question for the medical department about people as to whether they are vaccinated or not.”
Although precise statistics are unclear, it is believed there is a far higher uptake of vaccination among Serie A players and staff than the Premier League.
Antonio Conte has said that the Covid outbreak at Tottenham Hotspur has left him and his players feeling “scared” and called for his team’s next two games to be postponed. #THFC https://t.co/f23rBI9AEm
— Times Sport (@TimesSport) December 8, 2021