Antonio Conte’s assistant Christian Stellini confirms the Italian tactician will return to London on Sunday and will be on the touchline against Milan next week.
Conte remained in Italy after the 1-0 Champions League loss to Milan at San Siro on the advice of his doctors, who said he had rushed his return to the touchline after emergency surgery to remove his gallbladder.
“Antonio will return to London on Sunday and will lead the team to the Champions League,” Stellini said at a press conference on Friday, as quoted by Gazzetta.
The assistant coach will continue to take charge at Spurs for Saturday’s trip to Wolves as Conte has been advised to wait until Sunday before returning to work.
“It was the doctors who decided that Antonio should return on Sunday and not on Saturday,” continued Stellini.
“He had hoped to return about a month after the operation, a period which would expire on Saturday but they have instructed him to return on Sunday. Antonio is frustrated at not being here, but he must follow the instructions of the doctors.”
Tottenham will face Wolves away on Saturday, while Milan visit North London on March 8 in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16.
Spurs are not in their best moment and were eliminated in the fifth round of the FA Cup. “It’s hard to put results like that aside. We approached the match the wrong way,” explained Stellini.
“Everyone says they want to win, but only the fans can have expectations and that’s it.”
Tottenham’s temporary head coach appeared to be critical of his side’s attitude heading into the tie at Bramall Lane.
“We have to demonstrate what we are capable of through our hard work, and in the FA Cup it was not enough,” he added.
“We must always have the right mentality, when we’re on the pitch and when we’re not. Our approach must be the same in every game, we shouldn’t expect an easy passage just because we’re facing a lower-division side.
“If we finished in the top four, it would be a successful season, but we have to be the first ones to believe it,.