Antonio Conte has paid tribute to Gian Piero Ventrone following the Tottenham fitness coach's death this week. Knowing the Italian from his time at Juventus and having him as part of his backroom team at Siena, Conte brought the 61-year-old over to north London last November following his appointment as Spurs boss.
Making an instant impact at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with the team's fitness levels going up significantly in only a couple of weeks, Ventrone was adored by players, staff and all who worked at the club. Paying tribute to the renowned coach ahead of this evening's Premier League clash at Brighton & Hove Albion, Conte opened up on his great friend when speaking to Sky Sports to preview the match.
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"I think to find words for Gian Piero is very difficult in this moment," said the Spurs head coach. "We are really devastated by the pain for what happened. Also because no one expected this situation.
"But sometimes life is not always positive situations. For this reason, we have to cope in the best possible way because I know Gian Piero wanted to stay strong and do our work in the way he taught us."
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