Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte is questioning his long-term future after a traumatic period following the deaths of three close friends, Gian Piero Ventrone, Sinisa Mihajlovic and Gianluca Vialli.
The 53-year-old Italian hinted that his stint as Spurs boss, where he has a year-long extension on his deal that expires at the end of this season, could be drawing to a close.
Conte worked closely with Ventrone as Spurs fitness coach, before his passing in October. Mihajlovic and Vialli are former club and country teammates who passed away in December and January respectively too.
"This season is a difficult season under personal aspect because to lose three people I knew very well, first Giampiero, then Sinisa and now Gianluca, it was not simple," Conte told reporters.
"When this kind of situation happens, they bring you to have important reflection. Because many times we think and we give a lot of importance to our work and we forget the family.
"We forget that we can all have we need, to have more time for us. The season is a difficult season for me on the personal aspect, and this season is making me to have important reflection about my future."
Conte, who took over at Tottenham in November 2021, resides away from his family in Italy but flies back when possible. His daughter Vittoria is studying for exams, with wife Elisabetta remaining in Rome with her to assist her education.
"You understand that when you work and the work is at the top of your mind in your head, and maybe many times we forget to stay with family, we forget to spend time with friends," he said.
"But this is our passion. And for the passion, we lose a lot of thoughts and when this kind of situation happens, I think that you start to think that maybe sometimes it's also good to give more time to your family and your friends and also to yourself. That work is not everything in life."
The Italian added that living away from family during such a traumatic period had taken its toll on him.
"Having my family in Italy is not good," he said. "But when you have a son or daughter or kids [going to] school, you have to respect them because if every year or every two seasons you have to move your kids and totally change the environment, I don't want to affect the life of my family.
"Sometimes it's important to make decision or to sacrifice [your job] and to stay [with them], but I have a family that try to support me and be here in every moment they can. This kind of situation becomes more difficult when things like this happen like with Gianluca, Giampiero and Sinisa."
Tottenham, whom Conte guided to fourth spot last season, are fifth in the Premier League with 33 points from 19 games, while they have qualified for the Champions League last-16 where they will face Milan.
Spurs face champions Manchester City in the league on Thursday amid a run of eight games before the end of February.
Al-Riyadh 0-1 Al-Nassr: Mane hands visitors bragging rights
Sadio Mane's first-half strike ensured Al-Nassr maintained their unbeaten start to the Saudi Pro League season with a 1-0 win over rivals Al-Riyadh.
He smartly finished from close range in the 41st minute, with his goal enough to seal the three points and move Al-Nassr up to third in the table.
Al-Nassr's threat grew as the first half went on, with Milan Borjan making a fine double stop to deny Ronaldo and Talisca once again before Mohamed Simakan struck the post on the rebound.
Mane would eventually break the deadlock in the 41st minute though, darting in front of his marker to meet Abdulrahman Ghareeb's low cross and rifle it into the roof of the net.
The Senegalese striker arguably should have doubled his tally before the break, but was denied by Borjan's stretching save when one-on-one with the Canadian.
Talisca should have wrapped up the points in the final three minutes, but he blazed over an empty net from close range, before having a late goal disallowed for offside.
Data Debrief: Derby delight for Al-Nassr
After drawing their last two matches, this win was a welcome result for Al-Nassr as they racked up their sixth victory of the season to close the gap at the top of the table to six points.
It is just the second time Al-Nassr have avoided defeat in their first 10 matches of a Pro League campaign, last doing so in 2013-14, when they won the league title.
They are now unbeaten in their last seven Pro League derbies (W4 D3), their longest such streak since a run of nine between 2018 and 2020.
This is the first time in eight such games that they have kept a clean sheet though, and limited their opponents to just five shots throughout.
Luis Enrique confirms PSG squad rotation for Angers encounter
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique confirmed he will rotate his squad for their trip to the Stade Raymond Kopa to face Angers in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
The Parisiens' stuttering start to their Champions League continued in midweek, losing late on to Atletico Madrid to leave them 25th in the new 36-team league table.
PSG have lost five of their last eight games in the Champions League (W2 D1), as many as in their previous 19 games in the competition.
However, Luis Enrique's side have been impressive in the league and are currently six points clear of Marseille at the summit of the standings.
They also boast an impressive record against this weekend's hosts, winning 19 of their 20 encounters in all competitions (D1) against Angers.
"The most important match is tomorrow. Tomorrow, we'll rotate," Luis Enrique confirmed.
"I feel that with so little rest I need players. Angers are a highly motivated opponent who play at home.
"They can defend well and create problems in transition thanks to their wingers. I need all the players ready."
PSG will, however, be without William Pacho, who travelled to Ecuador on Thursday ahead of the international break and did not take part in Friday's training session.
Luis Enrique also insisted there had been a "blockage in finishing" in their recent fixtures in Europe, though they have not been shy of goals in Ligue 1.
In their midweek defeat, the Parisiens registered 22 shots compared to their opponents' four, ending the contest with an expected goals (xG) of 2.12 to Atletico's 0.67.
However, PSG have scored a division-high 29 goals from their 10 games so far, and Luis Enrique is relishing the chance of rediscovering their clinical edge this weekend.
"After a match like Wednesday's, and I've been through others in my career, it's difficult. Emotions are going to absorb everything," he added.
"The result will make you see everything in a negative light.
"How am I feeling? Perfectly. The more difficult it is, the better. We're aware that there's a blockage in the finishing.
"There's no denying it, it's a general problem. We need to overcome that, through confidence, by trying to create clearer chances, and collectively.
"I know it's a medium to long term project, and there will be ups and downs."
Al-Hilal 3-1 Al-Ettifaq: Champions return to the summit with dominant win
Al-Hilal surged back to the Saudi Pro League summit with a convincing 3-1 triumph over 10-man Al-Ettifaq on Friday.
The defending champions are now one point clear of Al-Ittihad in the standings, with their latest victory piling more misery on Al-Ettifaq boss, Steven Gerrard.
Al-Hilal struggled in the early exchanges at the Kingdom Arena, registering their first effort on Marek Rodak's goal in the 38th minute courtesy of Marcos Leonardo.
But the hosts would take the lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, with Mitrovic on hand to steer Renan Lodi's delivery into the net from close range.
Al-Hilal then doubled their advantage nine minutes from time when Malcolm collected the ball from Abdullah Al Hamddan, before rounding Rodak and finishing into an empty net.
However, hopes of a comeback from the visitors were revived in second-half stoppage time when Joao Cancelo gave away a penalty after a handball inside the box.
Vitinho stepped up and fired home the spot-kick, but Al-Hilal confirmed the win two minutes later through Mohammed Al Qahtani, with visiting forward Abdullah Radif shown a late red card for violent conduct.
Data Debrief: Happy Friday!
Al-Hilal continued their quest for a 20th Saudi Pro League crown with a dominant display against Al-Ettifaq, extending their unbeaten run against their opponents in the process.
They have now not lost their last 13 league encounters against Al-Ettifaq (W12 D1), surpassing their longest unbeaten streak against them in the competition (12 matches between 2008 and 2013 - W8 D4).
Al-Hilal have now lost only three matches when hosting teams on a Friday in the Pro League out of 55 matches (W46 D6 L3).
Lodi also took his goal contribution tally to eight this season in all competitions (three goals, five assists). During his European career with three different clubs, he only notched more goal involvements (nine) in the 2021-22 campaign with Atletico Madrid.
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