Antonio Conte: Tottenham boss undergoing surgery to remove gallbladder following severe pain

Antonio Conte could miss Tottenham’s clash with Manchester City on Sunday after surgery to remove his gallbladder.

Conte will have the operation on Wednesday in Italy where he was spending time with his family after taking two days off in line with his players following Saturday’s win in the FA Cup fourth round at Preston.

He had been suffering from abdominal pain at the end of last week. The pain worsened around the Preston game and then became severe while he was in Turin, where his wife and daughter have continued to live since his move to Spurs.

The manager could well be absent from Tottenham’s match against Manchester City as a result

Upon seeking further medical attention, the 53-year-old was diagnosed with cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder usually caused by gallstones, and advised to undergo immediate surgery.

Assistant manager Cristian Stellini stepped in as the Spurs players returned to training on Tuesday and the transfer deals on deadline day involved chairman Daniel Levy and the recruitment team led by managing director Fabio Paratici, and were not affected by his absence.

Conte will remain in Italy for the operation and immediate recuperation and will return to London when able but no-one at the club will speculate when that might be until they are satisfied the operation has been successful.

It is a routine procedure, often performed by keyhole surgery, in which case the patient can be out of hospital on the same day and back in normal activities within a week or two.

Tottenham fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone (pictured next to Kane) passed away in October and was a close friend of Conte

Stellini will assume control in his absence and plans to step in for the scheduled media duties on Friday, ahead of the Premier League clash with champions City, little more than a fortnight after Spurs were beaten 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

If Conte is forced to miss Sunday’s game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he should be back in some capacity for the next fixture, at Leicester on Saturday week, although he may have to curb the physical nature of his touchline antics, which he will find difficult.

Meanwhile, his absence is certain to have an impact. Conte is a micro manager who likes to control absolutely everything at the club, particularly the training schedule and the sessions, often involving his detailed tactical plans.

It will not be quite the same if he is not there.

Conte has been diagnosed with cholecystitis – a condition causing swelling of the gallbladder

Conte’s cholecystitis diagnosis comes in the wake of a difficult spell for the Italian manager, who has been suffering from grief following the deaths of three close friends and former colleagues.

The manager pulled out of his press conference ahead of Tottenham’s FA Cup tie with Portsmouth last month to mourn the loss of his old Juventus team-mate Gianluca Vialli, who passed away after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Meanwhile, the Italian is still grieving the deaths of Gian Piero Ventrone, Tottenham’s former fitness coach who passed away suddenly in October, and Sinisa Mihajlovic, who died aged 53 after holding a close friendship with Conte.

Right-back Pedro Porro signed for Spurs from Sporting Lisbon for £42million on deadline day

The Tottenham boss is still considering his long-term future in north London after an emotional six months, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign.

Conte has continually pledged his full commitment to Tottenham despite reports of interest elsewhere, and the manager will be desperate to fire his side into the top four upon his return from surgery.

Spurs sit three points behind Manchester United and have played an additional match in the league, which highlights the importance of Sunday’s clash with the champions.