Soccer rivalries are easy sufficient to know: any crew within the close by neighborhood should be thought-about extra detestable than all barely much less native enemies.
This battle for territory is not any larger than in London, the place hatred is split up between quite a few golf equipment.
Whereas Tottenham traditionally think about Arsenal their biggest rivals, we wager they maintain extra disdain for Chelsea than anybody, or certainly something, proper now.
All of it started in 1967, with Tottenham’s victory over Chelsea within the FA Cup last, and it may not really feel prefer it, however that’s removed from Spurs’ solely success over their annoying neighbours.
They beat the Blues to First Division survival in 1975 and overcame them within the League Cup last in 2008.
However Chelsea, essentially the most profitable English membership of this millennium, are by no means gradual to remind Tottenham of their lengthy trophy drought since then.
What began out as a rivalry characterised by hooliganism and violence has since change into one thing gloriously petty.
Bear in mind when Chelsea posted a high 14 of the Premier League desk on Twitter, simply so Spurs can be final?
And recent off the again of their Champions League triumph in 2021, the Blues turned the trolling up a notch.
That trophy was paraded round Stamford Bridge later that summer season, proper earlier than the go to of Tottenham in a pre-season ‘pleasant’.
It gave Chelsea the proper alternative to have fun their unbelievable success in entrance of Tottenham – and the Blues trustworthy, in fact. Coincidence? We expect not.
The timing definitely wasn’t misplaced on Chelsea legend John Terry, who responded to the information on Instagram with a string of laughing, clapping and trophy emojis.
That was simply a few months after Terry, appearing as assistant coach for Aston Villa, lifted a fake trophy in entrance of Spurs followers throughout a match on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Chelsea profitable the Champions League all the time comes with the added bonus of Spurs banter, the identical was true final time in 2012.
Having completed outdoors the highest 4, the Blues changed fourth-place Tottenham within the 2012/13 match on account of their victory over Bayern Munich.
The hero from that night time, Didier Drogba, is among the rivalry’s protagonists: the legendary striker advised compatriot Serge Aurier he joined the unsuitable membership when Tottenham signed him.
Mocking the north Londoners is the best solution to a Chelsea fan’s coronary heart – and the gamers are in on the act.
Eden Hazard wrote himself into Blues folklore with that purpose to finish Tottenham’s Premier League title bid and ensure Leicester as champions in 2016.
A ferocious sport, suitably dubbed the Battle of the Bridge, ended with Hazard curling one into the highest nook and celebrating proper in entrance of the Spurs followers.
The Belgian additionally scored an excellent purpose as well Spurs out of the FA Cup within the semi-finals the next season, and left England along with his mission accomplished…
“We gained numerous trophies, they haven’t, so I hope this continues,” he stated in 2019, earlier than becoming a member of Actual Madrid.
However maybe no person loves teasing Tottenham as a lot as Willian, a lot that he needed to be part of Arsenal upon leaving Stamford Bridge.
Because the music goes, Spurs purchased his flight, however Willian, he noticed the sunshine, he acquired the decision from Abramovich, and off he went to Stamford Bridge. And he hates Tottenham, he hates Tottenham, and many others.
Antagonistic because it sounds, it’s truly a fairly correct account of what occurred with the Willian deal.
Tottenham had all of it wrapped up and even accomplished his medical, earlier than Chelsea swooped in and hijacked the deal.
Spurs followers can, a minimum of, have a giggle at Barcelona doing precisely that to the Blues this summer season with Raphinha and Jules Kounde.
And maybe Antonio Conte’s facet, revamped after a optimistic switch window, will have the ability to get some revenge at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
