Premier League: ‘Chelsea are our biggest rivals,’ says Tottenham’s Sandro ahead of clash

New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Sandro Tonali said the Premier League clash against arc-rivals Chelsea provides his side with an opportunity to get their season back on track, build confidence and give their supporters a result to celebrate.

Tottenham will look to build on their 3-1 victory over Coventry City when they take on Chelsea in a highly anticipated London derby on Saturday.

Tonali described Chelsea as one of Tottenham’s biggest rivals and stressed the importance of maintaining the momentum gained from their first league win of the season.

“Chelsea are one of our biggest rivals, and this game gives us the perfect opportunity to bounce back, build confidence, and get our season back on track,” Tonali told Jio Star.

The midfielder said Tottenham’s first victory had been a long time coming after a difficult start to their Premier League campaign, adding that the team had shown encouraging signs even during their previous setbacks.

“We knew that our first win of the season had been a long time coming, so we are delighted to have finally got it. We hadn’t made the best start to our Premier League campaign, and after six matches, we finally got our first victory. We are happy for the supporters, players, staff and everyone associated with Tottenham,” he said.

Tonali pointed to the team’s performances against Manchester United and Aston Villa, insisting that the results had not always reflected their efforts on the pitch.

“We were doing well against Manchester United before the red card, and we played one of our best first halves of the season against Aston Villa. Although we lost that game, our performance was by no means poor,” he said.

The midfielder acknowledged that facing Chelsea would be a difficult challenge but urged his teammates to stick to their identity and give their all throughout the contest.

“The game against Chelsea will be very tough, but we have to play to our strengths and stay true to our identity. We must give our all if we want to win this game,” he said.

Tonali added that the recent run of dropped points had affected the team’s confidence but insisted that Tottenham had the quality and character to turn their campaign around.

“We have a very good team and a strong group of players. We have been playing well and creating plenty of chances in almost every game, but, for various reasons, we were dropping points week after week. Things changed with the win against Coventry, which was an important turning point. Now, we need to build on that momentum and keep winning games,” he said.

Highlighting the intensity of the London rivalry, Tonali said the occasion carried special significance for supporters of both clubs and demanded a high level of commitment from the players.

“The rivalry between Tottenham and Chelsea is one of the biggest in English football. You feel it the moment you walk into the field. The fans talk about this game all year, and you can see what it means to them. These are the matches you look forward to as a player,” he said.

“Form and league position do not matter much in a game like this. It is about desire, fight, and who wants it more on the day. We know what is at stake for our supporters, and we want to give them a result to celebrate,” he added.

Tottenham Hotspur are currently placed at 16th position in the points table with just six points in seven matches, while Chelsea are in the fourth spot with 13 points in seven matches.

–IANS

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