Antonio Conte could still return in time for Tottenham’s clash against Man City

Sports
By James

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Antonio Conte could return for Tottenham’s clash with Man City on Sunday, assistant manager Cristian Stellini reveals, with the decision to be made tomorrow as the Spurs boss recovers from gallbladder surgery in Italy.

  • Antonio Conte could be back in time for Tottenham’s clash with Manchester City
  • Conte had been diagnosed with cholecystitis after suffering abdominal pain
  • The Spurs coach underwent surgery in Italy and is recovering from the operation

By Jacob Ranson for Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Antonio Conte could still return in time for Tottenham’s Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

The former Chelsea manager underwent an operation in Italy earlier this week after being diagnosed with cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder usually caused by gallstones.

The 53-year-old had been diagnosed after suffering severe abdominal pain while spending time with his family in Turin, following Tottenham’s FA Cup win over Preston.

Spurs assistant manager Cristian Stellini has confirmed a decision on whether Conte will return in time for tomorrow’s game.

We still don’t know when he’ll be back. The surgery was good. She is recovering well at home. [in Italy]. We have two days before the match and anything can happen’, Stellini told the media at a pre-match press conference.

Antonio Conte (pictured, left) could be back for Tottenham's clash with Man City on Sunday

Antonio Conte (pictured, left) could be back for Tottenham’s clash with Man City on Sunday

We do not know yet. The decision will be made tomorrow. We are ready to do everything and Antonio, probably the doctor who did the surgery, has to decide for him. We have 48 hours, two days to decide.

The assistant has been in close contact with Conte throughout the week as he has been supervising training and preparation sessions in north London ahead of the clash.

Stellini also jokingly responded to a question about keeping Conte’s cool on his return, saying: “I think nobody here can keep him cool.” He obviously knows that he must have surgery and a surprise like the one he had on Sunday is not easy.

He is an intelligent man. He knows what happened. Surgery isn’t the worst, but it’s still surgery. He knows that he has to be careful.

Conte also confirmed yesterday that surgery to remove his gallbladder “has gone well” and said he “can’t wait” to return.

In an Instagram post, Conte confirmed that the surgery had gone well and thanked fans for their support.

“Thank you for your lovely messages, my surgery went well and I feel better already,” Conte wrote. “Now it’s time to recover, I can’t wait to get back on the field with the team.”

Antonio Conte announced that his gallbladder surgery had 'gone well' in a message to fans

Antonio Conte announced that his gallbladder surgery had ‘gone well’ in a message to fans

The Tottenham boss is still considering his long-term future in north London after an emotional six months, with his current contract due 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 get his team into the top four when he returns from surgery.

Spurs are three points behind Manchester United and have played one more game in the league, underlining the importance of Sunday’s clash against the champions.

What is cholecystitis?

Acute cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder. It usually occurs when a gallstone blocks the cystic duct.

Symptoms

The main symptom of acute cholecystitis is sudden sharp pain in the upper right part of the abdomen. This pain extends to the right shoulder.

The affected part of the abdomen is often very tender, and taking deep breaths can make the pain worse.

Unlike other types of abdominal pain, the pain of acute cholecystitis is usually persistent and does not go away within a few hours.

Some people may have additional symptoms, such as:

  • a high temperature (fever)
  • Feeling sick
  • being sick
  • perspiration
  • loss of appetite
  • yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
  • a lump in the abdomen

Treatment and surgery

After initial treatment, gallstones that may have caused acute cholecystitis usually fall back into the gallbladder, and the inflammation often subsides.

However, removal of the gallbladder may be recommended at some point after initial treatment to prevent recurrence of acute cholecystitis and reduce the risk of developing potentially serious complications.

This type of surgery is known as a cholecystectomy.

If you are fit enough to have surgery, your doctors will decide when is the best time to remove your gallbladder.

In some cases, you may need to have surgery right away or within a day or two, or it may be necessary to wait a few weeks until the swelling has subsided.

Fountain: National Health Service

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