Tottenham manager Antonio Conte says he found the decision to call off Sunday’s north London derby against Arsenal “very, very strange”.
The Premier League approved the Gunners’ request to have the fixture postponed on player availability grounds, but at the time of the decision the club had only one confirmed Covid case, with midfielder Martin Odegaard having tested positive.
In addition to the Norwegian’s absence, however, Arsenal were due to be without a significant number of first-team players due to injury, suspension and the Africa Cup of Nations, while a second Covid case was later confirmed.
The postponement has been widely criticised, with many feeling that the Premier League guidance over the numbers of players required to fulfil fixtures during the pandemic is now being exploited.
On Saturday, Tottenham issued a statement in which they said they were “extremely surprised” at the League’s decision and, speaking ahead of tomorrow night’s rearranged game against Leicester, Conte voiced his own frustration.
“The club made a statement and it was very clear to show our disappointment,” Conte said. “It was disappointing because we prepared the game to play against Arsenal and the decision to postpone the game was very, very strange.
“My feeling is that when there is a situation to play we have to play, not to postpone games for injuries, for international duty.
“I think we have a big problem to solve and that is Covid, but only about this situation can you decide to postpone, not for other situations. Honestly, it's my first time in my life - and I've had a bit of experience in football - to see this type of decision.”
The postponements have been particularly frustrating for Spurs, who were ultimately knocked out of the Europa Conference League after a Covid outbreak left them unable to fulfil their final group fixture against Rennes.
Spurs asked the Premier League to have their game against Leicester rearranged back in December in order to free up space to play Rennes ahead of Uefa’s deadline, but the request was rejected and the French side were awarded a 3-0 win - only for the Leicester clash to eventually be called off anyway because of the Foxes’ own Covid outbreak.
“I honestly don't know and it’s not my job,” Conte said, when asked whether awarding 3-0 defeats for Covid forfeitures would solve the Premier League’s problem.
“I repeat, I am a coach and for sure it is not simple to prepare the game in every aspect and then you arrive to play the game and then the game is postponed for strange reasons. It is not simple.
“Tottenham was dropped off from the Conference League because the Premier League didn't want to move the Leicester game. Then after a request of Leicester they postpone, but Tottenham was dropped from UEFA.
“This is very strange and in this type of situation there is a big disappointment. We work and we love football, we work a lot to try and play this competition and then it is very difficult to accept this decision. In the past the decision penalised you.”
