Tottenham manager Antonio Conte came close to tears as the club pays tribute to fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone before the game against Brighton.
Tottenham and Brighton held a minute of applause for late Spurs fitness coach Gian Piero Ventrone, leaving Antonio Conte visibly moved.
Prior to their Thursday morning trip to the Amex Stadium, the North London team announced the tragic passing of the 61-year-old.
Ventrone, a member of Conte’s backroom staff who joined Spurs in 2021, passed away suddenly from fulminant leukaemia.
A hugely popular member of the club’s dressing room, Spurs players paid tributes to the Italian during their warm-up on the south coast.
The squad wore T-shirts which read: “Always in our hearts, Gian Piero.”
Following the passing of Ventrone, Conte cancelled his pre-game press conference.
But he addressed his friend in an interview with Sky Sports before the game, saying: “To find words for Gian Piero is very difficult at this moment.
“We are really devastated by the pain of what happened.
“Also because no one expected this situation.
“But sometimes you know life is not always positive situations and for this reason we have to cope in the best possible way.
“Because I know Gian Piero wanted to stay strong and continue to do our work in the way that he taught us.”
