Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has joked that Antonio Conte will not replicate Jose Mourinho's method of hiding in a laundry basket to access his side's changing room in tonight's crunch Champions League clash against Marseille.
Conte is suspended for the fixture in France after receiving a straight red card in last week's eventful 1-1 draw with Sporting CP. The Spurs boss will be in attendance at the Stade Velodrome but will not be granted access to the dug-out or away changing room.
Spurs must avoid defeat in Marseille this evening in order to progress to the last-16 of the tournament. Antonio Conte's side currently top group D with eight points but could drop into the Europa League should they fall to a defeat.
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Yesterday, Hojbjerg discussed the impact of not having the Italian on the sideline in Marseille and how the squad have prepared for the clash. The Denmark international did, however, rule out any shady methods to get Conte inside the Spurs changing room - just like Mourinho in 2005.
Back in his Chelsea days, Mourinho avoided a touchline suspension when the Blues faced Bayern Munich in a Champions League quarter-final by getting the kit man to help him gain access to the changing room via a basket.
"First of all of course your head coach is a massive part of a team," Hojbjerg told the media. "Luckily he has a very good staff and players that are well aware of what he expects from them.
"We will all try our best to fill the role. In the end no one can fill his role but we will do our best to be together and make sure that we can get through this together, because we have to get through this together and we will do it.
"If he will hide in a laundry basket, I'm not sure I'm the one to ask. So in this case I don't know. I think no."
Asked about how much information the Spurs players will receive from the boss during the game, he said: "He is a person and coach who lives the game with great passion, with his heart and we are feeling this in a good way.
"We have to make sure that we are well prepared, which we are. After we have to go to be successful together. The fact is that he will not be there on the sideline. We have to deal with that.
"Everyone is well aware, the staff is well prepared and we all know that we have to help each other. For me it is not a difficult situation, it is maybe a different situation, but we know what to do, we are well aware of the situation and as well the ambition.
"I understand your question of course but the focus is on the pitch and what we have to do, what we are preparing. After that we will do the best we can do."
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