Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has asked his players to keep their emotions in check when Tottenham Hotspur come to Stamford Bridge this Saturday evening. The Spanish tactician is set to experience the intense London derby for the first time since taking charge of the Blues in July.
His side have won their last six Premier League encounters against their north London neighbours, equalling the club record set between 2000 and 2002. Another victory would see Alonso’s men register a seventh consecutive league win over their cross-city rivals.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Alonso stated:
“Very much. Every derby is special. You feel the energy, you feel the excitement from the stands. We need that energy to be used on the pitch, because that will connect well and we know that can be a boost. We need to have a good mentality for that. We need to have good emotional control as well, because in the derbies there’s a lot of passion, there’s a lot of commitment from both sides. Play football with heart, this is what we want.”
Alonso was reminded of the Blues’ incredible record of one defeat in 41 games at their own ground against Tottenham. He replied:
“I knew about it, but tomorrow is another game. Last week you asked me about another data that we broke. That means nothing, so we need to prove again that we can continue that run and knowing that it’s a special game. So we need to play with heart, with the head, with heart, intelligence, passionate energy. So we need many things more.”
Alonso also spoke of the midfield being the key to the contest, insisting that a complete performance is required from his men to get all three points. He added that any player given an opportunity needs to prove they deserve their place, and claimed Mike Penders is ready.
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Alonso’s emphasis on emotional control comes as his charges remain red-card-free in the Premier League this season. It is a far cry from the previous campaign, when the Blues picked up a league-high eight dismissals in 2025-26.
Their tally was four more than any other team in the league, with Everton and Tottenham both registering four apiece. Ex-Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane said sloppy discipline was a key reason they missed out on a European campaign altogether.
The Blues have earned 13 yellow cards this term, placing them only in tenth position in the Premier League’s disciplinary table. Their London rivals, who picked up a whopping 99 yellow cards last season, will also be without suspended midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur on Saturday.