Tottenham Hotspur journalist Alasdair Gold caught the attention of some Spurs supporters on Twitter recently after he posted a tweet sharing a report on a ‘new UEFA rule’ which could see the Lilywhites ‘forfeit their Europa League spot’.
Spurs secured a place in the 2020/21 Europa League after they drew with Crystal Palace on the final day of the 2019/20 Premier League season and Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered a defeat to Chelsea to finish sixth in the Premier League.
However, Football.london recently published a report explaining that the Lilywhites could end up forfeiting their place in the Europa League due to a new UEFA rule which has been introduced as a result of the ongoing pandemic. As per Football.london, this rule ‘suggests that if a home team’s country restricts travel from the country of the visiting team after the draw has been made then the home team must forfeit the game.’
After Gold took to Twitter to share this article via a tweet, plenty of Tottenham supporters replied to his post to share their thoughts on this new rule.
Some Tottenham fans replied to Gold’s tweet to share that they don’t like this rule. Some called it ‘ridiculous’, while others criticised UEFA.
Ridiculous situation.
— Dan (@ElCapitain82) August 4, 2020
ridiculous.
— namse (@namse17) August 4, 2020
Do you think that this is a good rule?
YES
NO
UEFA outdoing themselves. Could see this nonsense ending up in the courts if they go ahead.
— Jill Lewis (@jilllewis33) August 4, 2020
As if Levy lets that happen
— Rikki (@TrickTrick85) August 4, 2020
This club is cursed
— Harry Redknapp’s son (@Marijan22031) August 4, 2020
Nothing UEFA does makes any sense!
— Syed Saif Hussain (@syedsaifhussain) August 4, 2020
Meanwhile, some Spurs fans replied to this tweet to offer up some alternative solutions to this problem, should it arise, other than the home team being forced to forfeit the game.
Surely we should get a bye in to the next round / group stages if this happens!?!
— Mark Whitfield (@Whitters0902) August 4, 2020
Will just be played somewhere neutral
— TAS?? (@coys100) August 4, 2020
In this scenario, Spurs, or whoever the home team is, would not be at fault for not being able to play the game and it may be understandable why these Tottenham supporters have shared that they don’t like this rule, as it may be unfair for their team to get punished due to something that would be out of their control.