Pytest mock pandas read_excel inside the Class Construction

Question

I am doing some Integration tests using Pytest. I am reading my excel sheet input from the class constructor. I don't know how to mock the read_excel function of pandas. My actual code,

import pandas as pd

class Sample:
    def __init__(self, input_file_path):
        self.df_input = pd.read_excel(
                        input_file_path, sheet_name="Input sheet", header=[0]
                )
        
    def calculation(self):
        pass
    def choose_template(self):
        pass
    

sample_obj = Sample('./test.xlsx')
sample_obj.choose_template()

test_one.py,

@mock.patch.dict(os.environ, {"DB_CONNECTION_STRING": "Mock_Connection_String", 
                              "DB_DATABASE": "Mock_Db", 
                              "AZURE_STORAGE_CONNECTION_STRING": "Mock_Azure_connection_String", 
                              },clear=True)



def test_choose_template_valid():
    expected = "fizz"
    sample_obj = Sample('./test.xlsx')

    sample_obj.choose_template()
    actual = "fizz"
    assert actual == expected

I am getting the following error. I understand why this is happening. But I need a solution on how to mockup the pd.read_excel call.

=============================================================== short test summary info ================================================================
FAILED test_report.py::test_choose_template_valid - FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: './test.xlsx'
================================================================== 1 failed in 0.96s ===================================================================