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Antonio Conte: Tottenham boss plays down food poisoning outbreak
Image source, Reuters
Tottenham boss Antonio Conte says Harry Kane will be fit to play their crucial final match despite feeling unwell and reportedly missing media commitments.
Kane has been ill along with other players and staff, but Conte denied there was a food poisoning outbreak.
Fourth-placed Spurs will qualify for the Champions League if they win at Norwich City on Sunday (16:00 BST).
"In this moment, this virus is the last of our problems," said Conte. "We are close to a big achievement."
Former Tottenham forward and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker tweeted on Friday that he had heard of a possible food poisoning outbreak at his old club.
Spurs suffered a sickness outbreak - which was labelled 'Lasagne-gate' - on the final day of the season in 2006 when they lost 2-1 to West Ham and were denied a Champions League spot by north London rivals Arsenal.
Ironically, Arsenal - currently fifth and two points behind Spurs - will finish ahead of them again if the Gunners beat Everton at home on Sunday and Conte's side lose at relegated Norwich.
"I'm not interested to go deeper into this story," added the Italian when asked about comparisons to 'Lasagne-gate'.
"I think that we are in a good moment of form. We have worked well this week and prepared very well. We have to be concentrated."
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England captain Kane, 28, has scored 16 times in the Premier League this season - five fewer than team-mate Son Heung-min - including four in his past four top-flight appearances.
He was reportedly due to attend a media event on Friday, but withdrew as a precaution.
"Yes for sure [Kane will be fit], and because in the last game we had Dejan Kulusevski and he didn't train on Saturday, but was good to play," said Conte.
"Harry doesn't want to miss this type of game."
Conte said there had been "three or four cases of stomach problems" surrounding Tottenham's previous match, a 1-0 win over Burnley on 15 May when Kane scored a decisive penalty.
"In this week I have to be honest, we had a couple of cases but we overcame the situation," he said.
"Also members of the staff, one day they were not feeling so good. I don't know why, the last week but also this week, we faced this situation."
Image source, BBC Sport
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Image source, BBC Sport