Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has pulled out of his scheduled FA Cup press conference following the death of Gianluca Vialli.
On Friday morning, it was announced that the former Chelsea and Italy striker had died at the age of 58 due to pancreatic cancer, which he was initially diagnosed with in 2017.
Vialli overcame the illness in 2018 before being given the all-clear in 2020, but he announced in December 2021 that he was battling pancreatic cancer for a second time.
Conte and Vialli did not play together internationally, but the pair were teammates at Juventus for four years between 1992 and 1996 during the latter's spell with the Bianconeri.
Tottenham will battle League One side Portsmouth for a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday lunchtime, and Conte was due to speak to the media on Friday afternoon.
However, the Daily Mail now reports that Conte has pulled out of the press conference as he mourns the death of Vialli, leaving assistant Cristian Stellini to speak to reporters instead.
Conte spent 11 years as a player at Juventus between 1991 and 2004, and together with Vialli, the pair formed a part of the Bianconeri's Champions League-winning team in 1996.
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Conte and Vialli also became UEFA Cup champions in 1993 before clinching a Serie A and Coppa Italia double in the 1995-96 campaign, and the former replaced Vialli as captain after his exit.
Tottenham shared their condolences with Vialli's loved ones in a tweet, posting: "Our thoughts and condolences are with the Vialli family at this impossibly sad time 💙".
Following his arrival at Chelsea in 1996, Vialli ventured into the role of player-manager in 1998 and ended up taking charge of 133 games for the Blues up to September 2000.
Tributes were also paid from Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali, who wrote: "This is truly an awful day for Chelsea Football Club. Gianluca's legend will live on at Stamford Bridge.
"His impact as a player, a coach and most importantly as a person, will be forever written across our club's history. We send our heartfelt and deepest condolences to his family and friends."
The Italian's trophy haul at Stamford Bridge included one FA Cup, one EFL Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and one Community Shield crown, and he moved to Watford in 2001 before his final role as Italy team coordinator.
Vialli oversaw Italy's Euro 2020 win at Wembley before stepping down from his post last month in order to focus on his treatment.
Ben Knapton
