Stellini says Conte underestimated how much recovery he needed

Antonio Conte’s assistant coach Christian Stellini claims that Antonio Conte underestimated just how much time he needed for a full recovery after his gallbladder surgery.

The Italian tactician had his gallbladder removed at the start of the month after experiencing severe abdominal pain. His assistant Stellini has stood in his place the time he was away. Conte returned to his post last week and oversaw

’s 4-1 and 1-0 losses to Leicester and Milan respectively, but now has been ordered by his doctor to stay away from front line action a bit more.

"Health is more important than football and this is the reason why the club, Antonio and the doctors decide to take this responsibility and leave Antonio in Italy after the last game.”

Stellini said.

 "We don't know the time. He needs to rest. The doctor thinks about the timing and they have an idea but it is really a feeling from Antonio.

"[The doctor] explained very well that surgery was not an easy surgery. It was an emergency surgery. The inflammation was big and maybe they underestimated this situation. He needs time to be 100 per cent and Antonio not at 100 per cent is not Antonio.

"That creates stress and overstress and this is dangerous after a surgery like that.

"We have a call every day, many times in a day, probably three times per day, but he wants to come back."

Speaking on the authority Stellini has, he said:

"I have the same authority before he came back but since the moment he came back, Antonio's feeling was that maybe he underestimated the procedure after the surgery.

"Coming close to the [Leicester] game, the stress, the tension he had before the game created some problems. When they checked with the doctor, with the club, they spoke for a long time about this and the decision was this.

"He needs to take it easy again. He will come back soon."

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