This has been a difficult and emotional season for Antonio Conte, quite aside from the usual stress and strain of management on the touchlines of the Premier League.
In October, he was reeling from the sudden death of Gian Piero Ventrone, his friend for many years, close confidante and Tottenham’s fitness guru.
Two months later, another friend Sinisa Mihajlovic lost a long fight with cancer aged 53, the same age as Conte. And then, only last month, more trauma with the passing of friend and former team-mate Gianluca Vialli.