Antonio Conte takes a break from managing Tottenham due to gallbladder surgery

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Tottenham have a busy few weeks ahead, with Sunday’s meeting with City followed by a trip to face Leicester City next weekend. Next, they travel to Italy to meet AC Milan in the Champions League.

Conte’s assistant coach Christian Stellini is likely to fill in for the 53-year-old while he recovers over the coming days.

Stellini has already been deputized as coach several times this season, including in the Champions League match against Marseille when Conte was suspended. Stellini also carried out the club’s media duties around the FA Cup tie against Preston North End last weekend.

Speaking in January, Conte opened up about the emotional toll the deaths of three of his friends have taken on him in recent months.

Conte mourned the deaths of Tottenham’s fitness coach Gian Piero Ventroni, his friend Sinisa Mihajlovic and former teammate Gianluca Vialli over the past five months.

“For sure, this season is a difficult season from a personal point of view,” said Conte. “Because I would lose, in such a short time, three people I know very well, Gian Piero Ventroni, then Sinisa and now Gianluca. It wasn’t easy.

“Certainly, when this situation happens you have important reflections. Because so often we think and give too much importance to our work and we forget about family, we forget that we need more time for us. Certainly, this season makes me think important about my future.”

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