Tottenham Hotspur takes on West Ham United in the London Derby on Sunday evening and they will be without manager Antonio Conte for the game.
The Italian recently had gallbladder surgery and following his routine post-operation check in Italy, he has been advised to remain in his family home and return to football when he has recovered fully.
Tottenham have confirmed the development on their official website and Cristian Sellini is set to assume managerial responsibilities for Sunday’s game.
Tottenham are coming into this game on the back of a crushing defeat against Leicester City in their last league game and they were beaten by AC Milan in the Champions League during the midweek as well.
There is no doubt that spirits are down at the London club right now and Spurs cannot afford a defeat against their London rivals.
West Ham are fighting for their survival in the Premier League and they will look to pull off an upset here. The Hammers will be motivated for this game.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are currently fifth in the league table and they cannot afford to keep dropping points if they want to secure a top-four finish and qualify for the Champions league. The absence of Conte will certainly come as a blow for the London club. They are also without key players Hugo Lloris, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Yves Bissouma.
Meanwhile, Conte has now sent out a statement on social media claiming that he underestimated the repercussions of the surgery and that he will need to take a step back and complete his recovery now.
“Sadly, I underestimated the procedure, which wasn’t a routine operation, but a sudden and serious emergency,” he added.
“My body has suffered my impatience, and now I am forced to stop until my entire recovery.
“Who knows me, understands what a burden this is for me, but it is necessary.”
