Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni was to undergo surgery on Wednesday after being diagnosed with abdominal problems, the Football Association of Ireland said.
The 71-year-old Trapattoni has been in a Dublin hospital since early Tuesday, having felt unwell since arriving in Ireland on Sunday ahead of a friendly against Argentina.
''It has been decided the abdominal pain is as a result of minor scar tissue from previous surgery,'' the FAI said in a statement. ''To relieve the pain, he will undergo minor surgery at 3 p.m. today.''
Initially, Trapattoni believed he was suffering from a bout of nausea caused by shellfish he ate before leaving Italy.
Assistant coach Marco Tardelli was to take charge of Ireland for the friendly against Argentina on Wednesday evening in Dublin.
Trapattoni, who succeeded Steve Staunton as Ireland coach in 2008, led Juventus to six Italian titles and won one with Inter Milan. He also won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, the Portuguese league with Benfica and the Austrian league with Salzburg.
But he was less successful as Italy coach between 2000 and '04, with the team eliminated in the group stage of the 2004 European Championship.
