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Antonio Conte is taking a fresh break from his Tottenham duties to continue his recovery from gallbladder surgery.
The head coach had the organ removed at the start of the month after experiencing severe abdominal pain and took a short break from Spurs to begin his recovery.
Conte returned to duties on the training pitch last week before the 4-1 defeat to Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday.
He then also took charge for the 1-0 loss to Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.
However, Conte has since had his recovery progress checked out, and it has been decided he will need more time away from frontline work.
Tottenham said in a statement on Thursday: “Following a routine post-operation check in Italy yesterday, Antonio Conte will remain at his family home to further and fully recover from his recent gallbladder surgery.
“Health is the most important consideration and everyone at the club wishes him well. Cristian Stellini will assume first-team responsibility.”
Stellini is Conte’s assistant and led the team for their 1-0 win over Manchester City on February 5, while Conte was at home in Turin.
Tottenham have two Premier League home games coming up on successive Sundays, facing West Ham this weekend and Chelsea seven days later.
They then travel to Sheffield United in the FA Cup and to Wolves in the Premier League, before Milan head to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the second leg of their last-16 European tie on March 8.
Conte’s team sit fifth in the Premier League, two points behind a fourth-placed Newcastle United side who have a game in hand.
