Spurs assistant Cristian Stellini says Antonio Conte’s touchline ban for Tuesday’s Champions League decider in opposition to Marseille has vastly altered preparations for the sport.
Head coach Conte is confined to the stands on the Stade Velodrome after his purple card in opposition to Sporting Lisbon final week within the wake of the VAR’s choice to controversially rule out what would have been a last-gasp winner from Harry Kane.
The Italian will sit subsequent to his brother Gianluca and relay messages to the bench throughout the recreation, however is just not allowed within the dressing room and can’t communicate to his gamers till quarter-hour after full-time.
Which means he can’t have direct affect on proceedings in a recreation that Spurs can’t afford to lose if they’re to qualify for the knockout phases.
Stellini, who stood in for Conte throughout one other touchline ban at their earlier membership Inter Milan, stated: “When Antonio is on the touchline, he lives with ardour each recreation however in all probability he struggles extra when he stays within the crowd and so it explains how Antonio lives his job.
“He’s very passionate and if he can’t talk with us he struggles so much.
“It modifications so much. The presence of a coach like Conte, each earlier than the sport and the week main as much as it and throughout the match, is simply indispensable – particularly a tricky match like this the place it’s going to be intense till the ultimate whistle.
“It’s a change that’s tough however we have now to arrange ourselves all collectively earlier than the match.
“It’s a completely totally different world as a result of usually the times earlier than the sport, Antonio will do all his preparation himself, alone.
“However now, we have now to do that all collectively so it modifications the whole lot. We’ve to work on the technique and this could turn out to be advanced.
“Nonetheless, we’ve already gone by way of this collectively in our time at Inter so we all know what to do when he’s not there.
“Fortunately, I’m not there alone. We’ve received the entire employees, corresponding to Ryan Mason, alongside me in order that makes me really feel higher.”
Midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg accepts it’s a totally different scenario, however says it’s one which his facet can simply deal with.
“He’s a coach who lives the sport with nice ardour and together with his coronary heart,” the 27-year-old Denmark worldwide stated. “We really feel this in a great way.
“We’ve to verify we’re properly ready, which we’re, and after go and achieve success collectively. The actual fact is he won’t be there, we have now to cope with that.
“Everyone seems to be properly conscious. The employees is properly ready. We’ve to assist one another.
“For me (it’s) not a tough scenario however a special scenario. We’re conscious of the scenario and the ambition. We’re conscious, however the focus is on the pitch and what we have now to do. We are going to do the perfect we are able to do.”
The stakes couldn’t be a lot larger for Spurs in Provence as their Champions League future hinges on the result of this recreation.
In the event that they win or draw they may ebook their place within the final 16 however a defeat will condemn them to Europa League soccer after Christmas.
Hojbjerg stated: “Our ambition is certainly to undergo. That is the primary.
“The important thing and ambition is to go to the knock-out phases within the Champions League and that is what we’re enjoying for, 100 per cent.”
Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison and Cristian Romero won’t be concerned.
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