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Family means everything to Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro and a heartwarming clip proved just as much.

The Premier League shared an eight-minute video detailing the Spaniard's journey from his humble beginnings in western Spain to north London.

Because his parents had to work, Porro was raised by his grandparents in Don Benito.

He grew a love for the game while playing for local club C.A. Gimnastico.

But when Porro turned 14, he knew he would have to make an almighty sacrifice if he was to live out his dream of becoming a footballer.

He left his town of nearly 40,000 people and moved to Madrid, where he joined the academy at Rayo Vallecano in 2015.

"I left when I was very young," Porro said in the video.

"But I remember it was one of the toughest moments of my life."

Porro's grandfather added: "We took him to Madrid. It's so hard to leave a boy of 14 years old in Madrid. We left a 14-year-old, alone in Madrid."

After they had dropped off Porro, his mother described the drive home as 'terrible'.

However, Porro spoke of how his grandfather 'encouraged me' to take the bold step at such a young age.

"I had to leave my family and everything behind," Porro said.

"I was very young and still needed their support. If you want something in life, you have to sacrifice something in return."

Although Porro never went on to make a senior appearance for Rayo, he made his LaLiga debut for Girona in 2018.

A temporary switch to Valladolid followed before he joined Portuguese giants Sporting CP in 2020 on an initial two-season loan before the move became permanent in May 2022.

However, Porro was only halfway through the 2022/23 season when Tottenham came calling.

The north London side signed him on loan for the remainder of the campaign with an obligation to sign the Spaniard in the summer for £34million.

Porro has gone on to make almost 100 appearances for Tottenham in all competitions and has registered nine goals and 17 assists playing as a right-back or on the right wing.

It is a journey that may never have happened had Porro not taken the brave step of leaving home as a young teenager.

However, Porro's mother and grandfather couldn't be more proud of how his career has gone to date and told the Spanish international just as much in an emotional video.

Porro had to wipe away tears, but they came flooding straight back when he spoke to the pair over Facetime.

"You're crying, and you never cry," Porro's grandfather said.

"A man like yourself, with a handsome face like that!"

After the call ended, Porro paid tribute to his family and vowed to deliver plenty more on the pitch going forward.

"Thanks to you, I am who I am today," Porro said.

"This doesn't end here. Just as my grandfather said in the video, he always wants more and he will have more."

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy received a sizable pay increase as revealed in the club’s latest accounts released last week.

Spurs disclosed their latest financial results up to June 30, 2024 which showed that club directors were paid a total of £5.068million.

Levy, the highest-paid director, received a whopping £3.728m, an increase from the £3.581m received for the period up to June 2023, although he was also paid a £3m bonus for that period.

The 63-year-old did not receive a bonus for June 2024 however his earnings for the period dwarf that of Chelsea’s highest paid director who netted £1.69m.

The figures are unlikely to strengthen ties between Levy and the club’s disgruntled fanbase, who have held the Spurs supremo responsible for the club’s dismal form this season.

Prior to Sunday’s clash at home to Southampton, fans protested against Levy outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Flags and signs were emblazoned with messages calling for a change of ownership with one reading: “Enough is enough, ENIC Out!”

It was aimed at ENIC Group who purchased a controlling share of the club in 2001. Another flag simply read: “Time for change.”

There was a continuation of chants calling for ‘Levy Out,’ which has been a regular theme in the stands this season.

And it appears that disillusioned Spurs fans have no plans to let up anytime soon with further protests planned in the near future.

A fan-led group tasked with helping bring about change at the club have said that many supporters feel alienated by the club’s current ownership.

“The New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a state of the art facility, but at what cost? Ticket prices are among the highest in the Premier League, forcing many fans, some of whom have supported Spurs for decades, to give up their season tickets or attend fewer games,” said a representative for ‘Change For Tottenham’.

“For years the team has lacked investment in key areas, particularly in defence, while transfer windows have felt reactive instead of proactive. The result? Another trophy-less season looms, extending a drought that has lasted since 2008.”

Levy acknowledged the calls for the club to spend more and insisted 'spending must be sustainable in the long term'.

"We cannot spend what we do not have, and we will not compromise the financial stability of this club," Levy said.

"Recruitment remains a key focus, and we must ensure that we make smart purchases within our financial means. Our capacity to generate recurring revenues determines our spending power."

Fans have become increasingly frustrated by the club’s failure to compete for major honours.

Spurs are without a trophy since 2008 although there is still an opportunity to lay that ghost to rest in this season’s Europa League.

But it has been Tottenham’s woeful domestic form that has caused uproar with fans left feeling short-changed despite huge investment.

Levy has splashed over £1bn on transfers since the club’s last triumph but with Spurs languishing 14th in the table and boss Ange Postecoglou’s future unclear, the situation remains tense at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A failure to win the Europa league would see Spurs miss out on a lucrative place in the Champions League for a third successive season.

Brennan Johnson had to be consoled by Heung-min Son after being denied the chance to secure his hat-trick from the penalty spot.

Johnson had already scored twice in the Premier League clash with Southampton on Sunday and had the perfect chance to grab his first-ever hat-trick in the competition.

Brought down by Saints' star Wellington with the score at 2-1 in Spurs' favour, the forward grabbed the ball in the sixth minute of injury time to round off his achievement.

However Pedro Porro took the ball off him and passed it to captain Cristian Romero who then passed it on to Mathys Tel.

Tel, who joined on loan from Bayern Munich in January, had scored just once since joining Tottenham and was keen to open his Premier League account - something that he managed with well a well-taken kick into the top corner.

But while the game ended with a 3-1 win for Spurs, Johnson looked deflated as he came off the pitch and was consoled by Son for being denied his chance to complete his hat-trick.

Speaking to the club's official website after the game, Johnson explained: "It's only normal for me to want to take the penalty.

"There's only a certain amount of talking to do before it gets quite messy.

"I've been in the situation before when I've had people wanting to take the ball off me and it kind of unsettles you a little bit.

"I knew the game was pretty much done but still, I didn't want to unsettle anyone or start any disagreements.

"So, once the decision was made, I just had to get on with it.”

Reflecting on Johnson's performance, Ange Postecoglou said: "It’s tough but I think whenever Brennan plays that he's always a goal threat.

"He has been really good for us in terms of goals and, even though I don't rate them highly, even his assists have been important to us as today he won the penalty.

"He's really important for us in the way we play and I don't think he has been inconsistent this year.

"The disruptions we've had in the team and the ability to get some real cohesion in the group has disrupted everyone this season.

"Great for him today, I was really pleased for him, not just goals but his general play was really good.

"He's important for us as a wide player there aren't many around that are a constant goal threat like he is. I'm really pleased for him today."

Johnson arrived at Tottenham in the summer of 2023 in a £47.5million deal from Nottingham Forest.

Since then he has played 74 times, scoring 21 goals and providing 14 assists in the process.

Still just 23 years of age, the Welsh star will be hoping to become the main man in north London in the years to come.

Tottenham are next in action in the first leg of their crucial Europa League quarter-final clash with Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night.

The second leg takes place a week late and is their last chance of securing European football for the 2025/26 campaign.

One last derby

Kevin De Bruyne will leave Man City at the end of the season.

He is the City captain today and will lead his team out at Old Trafford in last ever Manchester derby.

It's going to be an emotional end to the campaign for the Belgian who has had such a huge impact on the club's success.

He announced his departure on Friday with his statement reading: "Nothing about this is easy to write, but as football players, we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here - and you deserve to hear it from me first.

"Football led me to all of you - and to this city. Chasing my dream, not knowing this period would change my life. This city. This club. These people... gave me EVERYTHING. I had no choice but to give EVERYTHING back! And guess what - we won EVERYTHING.

"Whether we like it or not, it's time to say goodbye. Suri, Rome, Mason, Michele and I are beyond grateful for what this place has meant to our family. 'Manchester will forever be on our kids' passports - and more importantly, in each of our hearts. This will always be our HOME.

"We cannot thank the city, club, staff, teammates, friends, and family enough for this 10-year ride.

"Every story comes to an end, but this has definitely been the best chapter. Let's enjoy these last moments together."

Southampton relegated

It’s official: Southampton have been relegated.

They've made history too, with this being the earliest into a season that a team has been relegated from the Premier League.

The Saints are marching down after 31 games.

Tottenham made it 3-1 right at the end of the game to deny them a chance for a very late comeback.

The loss means they can no longer reach safety, spelling the end of their time back in the top flight.

Ivan Juric’s side remain on 10 points and the lowest-ever points record could still be broken if they fail to get a point more.

They’ve been through a nightmare campaign and this day seemed inevitable - but it's still a sad afternoon for the club.

Full time

It's all over at Craven Cottage!

Liverpool have been beaten by Fulham and handed just their second Premier League loss under Arne Slot.

What a result for the Cottagers after the Reds' collapse in the first half let the game get away from them.

They're still on their way to the title, but this is a bump in the road.

Chelsea have failed to score against Brentford and that game has ended goalless, which is a missed opportunity for the Blues.

Enzo Maresca's rotation hasn't paid off and he could see his side drop out of the top four later this evening.

The game between Spurs and Southampton is still going.

Not sure about that, Ange

Ange Posteocglou's substitutions against Chelsea last night were the subject of loud boos.

In response, the Australian cupped his ear and waved at the away end after Pape Mate Sarr thought he'd equalised.

The goal was ruled out after a VAR review, and after the game, Postecoglou denied cupping his ear.

However, new footage has emerged that has exposed the former Celtic boss.

It's unlikely this is going to help his relationship with the Tottenham fans.

Isak latest

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has provided an update on Alexander Isak.

After scoring his 20th Premier League goal of the season in midweek against Brentford in a 2-1 win for the Magpies, the Swede was withdrawn with a slight groin issue.

The Toon don't play until Monday night against Leicester, live on talkSPORT, so Isak has a few days to recover.

If he weren't fit, Callum Wilson would likely start for the Magpies at the King Power.

However, Howe seemed hopeful that Isak and Kieran Trippier had avoided any serious injury.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, he said: "We'll wait and see today, I will see them [Kieran Trippier and Alexander Isak] for the first time today. We don’t think we have any big injuries from Wednesday night, but we have a few niggles."

Meanwhile, Anthony Gordon is back from his three-match domestic ban but is still dealing with a hip issue.

"We are monitoring Anthony [Gordon], he is still recovering. He has done individual training not group training, we will have to wait and see."

Blatant

It would be fair to say that Chelsea vs Tottenham was a poor game.

The Blues won 1-0, but the lack of quality was astonishing.

However, there was one bit of drama when Pape Mate Sarr had a goal disallowed for a foul on Moises Caicedo, and footage has emerged showing Marc Cucurella and Levi Colwill seeing the replay of the incident on the VAR screen.

Sarr kicked Caicedo in the knee before charging through and scoring, and once Colwill and Cucurella saw what happened, they were left in shock that Craig Pawson had even given the goal in the first place.

Eventually, he did overturn the decision.

Pressers, pressers, pressers

After the hiatus of Premier League football, everything is back in full flow, so we are set to have a lot of press conferences.

Eddie Howe, Fabian Hurzeler and Andoni Iraola are all speaking to the media right now, while we'll hear from Pep Guardiola, Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou soon.

Mikel Arteta will also be speaking, and he'll no doubt be asked about Gabriel Magalhaes.

It was confirmed yesterday that the Brazilian's season is over after he suffered a hamstring injury.

So, plenty to get our teeth stuck into.

'Killing the game'

Ange Postecoglou has launched a rant at VAR after Pape Matar Sarr's equaliser was ruled out following a long check.

The Spurs boss took aim at the technology when speaking post-match, angrily explaining the incident.

"It's killing the game, mate," Postecoglou said. "It's not the same game it used to be. You just don't know what you're going to get.

"You stand there for 12 minutes, but nobody cares, they like the drama and controversy and I'm sure there'll be 24-hour coverage.

"If the referee needs to see that for six minutes, tell me what's clear and obvious about that, mate?

"Clear and obvious, if you have to watch something a few times, is that clear and obvious?

"The referee didn't see it, then sees it for six minutes.

"That's why the game is going the way it is. I guess people like you [reporter] will be happy sitting on your couch for six minutes."

Winks controversy

Whilst Chelsea beat Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, an ex-Spurs player has been involved in some drama.

The Telegraph claim that Harry Winks was axed from the Leicester squad against Manchester City yesterday after a row with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Van Nistelrooy asked Winks, who lives 100 miles away from the Foxes' training ground, to stay overnight for one night a week.

But the midfielder refused and was therefore dropped.

However, soon after that report emerged, Winks then posted a picture of his newborn baby on Instagram.

He was also spotted liking a comment regarding the drama with Van Nistelrooy and staying at the training ground, which said: "This is why u didn't want to commute, that's media for u".

This incident comes after Leicester were handed their seventh straight Premier League defeat without scoring a goal.

The Foxes look set for a second relegation in three years.

Unwanted history

It's a nightmare for Ange Postecoglou.

He was booed by the Spurs fans tonight before cupping his ears at the away end celebrating the disallowed goal.

To make matters worse, he's made some history too.

But not the good kind...

Postecoglou is now the first-ever Tottenham boss to lose each of his first four league games against Chelsea while in charge of the club.

All over!

Chelsea have held on!

They move back into the Premier League's top four with a valuable three points in what was a dramatic London derby.

Enzo Maresca will be delighted to see his Blues bounce back from a loss against Arsenal before the break to win.

Both teams had a goal ruled out at Stamford Bridge, with Spurs' equaliser being disallowed after a long VAR check.

It leaves Ange Postecoglou's side down in 14th as they're handed their 16th loss of a dismal season.

WHAT A SAVE!

ROBERT SANCHEZ SAVES CHELSEA!

Heung-min Son is on the end of a low cross from Brennan Johnson, but somehow Sanchez keeps it out.

From right in front of goal, Son is superbly denied!

The Blues goalkeeper throws himself across the net, diving even before Son had touched it to make sure he got across.

We're now into 12 added minutes, it's going to be tense.

Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez are taken off for stoppage time as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo come on.

Time ticking

Spurs are very quickly running out of time.

Less than five minutes remain for them to equalise.

Cole Palmer has just been booked for delaying a restart as Chelsea look to see this game out now.

They're not sitting back yet, pressing high and trying to force the visitors into errors late on.

James Maddison and Micky van de Ven are taken off, with Mathys Tel and Pedro Porro coming on in their place.

Final stages

The time has flown amid all of that VAR chaos.

We're now into the last 10 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs have started to threaten more and get some shots away, but they're still yet to get back into this game.

That disallowed goal is going to haunt them.

Reece James is on for Chelsea as they look to hold on.

RULED OUT!

THE GOAL DOESN'T STAND!

Pape Matar Sarr is judged to have fouled Moises Caicedo in the build-up and he's booked instead.

The midfielder is denied an equaliser for Spurs!

It's another long check for VAR and as the replay is shown on the screens, the Chelsea fans are raging.

Scott Minto live on talkSPORT: "It obviously looks worse on the still. You go with the referee's call, it's not clear and obvious enough."

A Premier League statement on the incident reads: "VAR checked the referee’s call of goal for Tottenham - and deemed there was a foul by Sarr on Caicedo in the build-up and recommended an on-field review.

"The referee then overturned the original decision and the goal was disallowed, with Sarr then cautioned for a reckless challenge."

GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Tottenham: Pape Matar Sarr

WHAT A GOAL, PAPE MATAR SARR!

HE RIFLES IN FROM RANGE!

There's major confusion as it flies in off the crossbar after a poor mistake by Robert Sanchez as Chelsea players appeal for a foul.

Sarr clipped Moises Caicedo on the knee with his studs in the build-up and that's what the Blues squad are raging about.

The referee is looking at the VAR monitor....

Scott Minto live on talkSPORT: "Robert Sanchez, what are you doing?"

NO GOAL!

After a long VAR check, the goal is ruled out!

Levi Colwill has been judged to be offside before impacting play by attacking the cross in the box.

The fans were left angered in the stands as the process went on and even more so when the goal was disallowed.

It remains 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

A Premier League statement read: "VAR checked the referee’s call of goal – and established that Colwill was in an offside position in the build-up and recommended that the goal was disallowed."

GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham: Moises Caicedo

THERE'S ANOTHER FOR CHELSEA!

They've taken this game away from Spurs in a matter of minutes, and this time it's Moises Caicedo who scores!

It's a superb volley into the bottom corner!

A free-kick comes into the box which is headed away by Cristian Romero and Lucas Bergvall.

But unfortunately for Bergvall, he finds Caicedo on the edge and the Colombian makes no mistake with a great strike!

There is now a VAR check ongoing...

Half time

It's goalless at half time at Stamford Bridge.

After a frantic start, there looked certain to be a goal in this London derby, but we're without one at the break.

Nicolas Jackson's ricochet coming back off the post in the opening seconds is the best chance of the game.

And Chelsea also came close through Jadon Sancho too, with Guglielmo Vicario brilliantly tipping over.

But Spurs strengthened throughout and ended the half strong, leaving this game in the balance.

That scrap seemed to wake the fans up though, and they'll want to see that fighting attitude in the second half.

Stamford Bridge scrap

A scuffle breaks out at Stamford Bridge!

This is what this London derby is all about, and we've seen it so many times before in this fixture.

After a foul on the edge of the box, Cristian Romero pushes over Levi Colwill before all players get involved.

Trevoh Chalobah has to be held back as the referee watches on.

Chalobah and Romero are both booked for their involvement.

Scott Minto live on talkSPORT: "Am I allowed to say that I really like that?"

"It's happened again."

This isn't the first time Jason Cundy has begun The Sports Bar by mercilessly mocking Jamie O'Hara about Tottenham's form, and let's face it, it won't be the last.

But it's a joke that will never get old for Cundy and Chelsea fans with the Blues once again one up on their London rivals.

In the latest battle, Chelsea claimed a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge, Enzo Fernandez heading in the winning goal early in the second half on Thursday night.

Cundy was covering the game for Chelsea's club media, meaning he was a little late for his Sports Bar hosting duties as he had to hot-foot his way from south west to central London.

However, he made up for lost time by bursting into the studio and aimed another cheeky dig at a crestfallen looking O'Hara.

Cundy began by chanting: "It's happened again, it's happened again! Tottenham Hotspur! It's happened again!"

The former Chelsea, and incidentally former Spurs defender, then threw himself into his signature 'has anyone seen?' with of course, Tottenham and anyone or anything he could think of associated with the club being the butt of the joke.

And O'Hara, later in the show, revealed his honest feelings about the club's current predicament.

When one Spurs fan queried the lack of winning mentality of the team during his spell there, he said: “When I was there, I disagreed with that because we got to two cup finals, we won the Carabao Cup.

"We were in the Europa League. The standard was set, to win the Europa.

"There were good moments at Tottenham and I think there was a difference, but they had players on the pitch like Robbie Keane and [Dimitar] Berbatov and [Luka] Modric, you know, like [Jermaine] Jenas.

“And then they left and now I feel like it's a completely different Spurs team.

“I don't look at this Spurs team and think that there's a mentality there that we're going to go and rock up to Stamford Bridge and get a result. I don't see it.

“There's no men, there's no leaders, it's just they're out there, they're playing for themselves and the manager looks lost on the sideline.”

O'Hara then got more irate when the caller suggested he 'loved' the way Postecoglou deals with the media in interviews.

He fumed: "What do you mean?

"He deals with the media terribly.

"He gives the media nothing. He comes in, he's had ten good games and all of a sudden he's laughing with Gary Neville Jamie Carragher and everyone thought he was like the Messiah.

"Like do me a favour, his interviews are terrible. He argues with talkSPORT, with Sam Matterface. It gives you nothing.

"It's a myth. It's a myth. Any other manager at Tottenham Hotspur would have got the sack. He would have been gone. We've lost 16 games.

"Every team around us has sacked their manager. Every single team has sacked their manager around us. Every one of them. We're still there with Ange.

"I reckon I could take over and do a better job! Genuinely. Seriously."

O'Hara would have known Cundy's antics were coming as he has done this a few times before.

After Chelsea's 4-3 win at Spurs in December, the first Sports Bar show afterwards saw Cundy jokingly throw paper at O'Hara as he gloated the victory.

He made a late entrance last season after Chelsea thumped nine-man Spurs 4-1 in north London too.

The pressure on Postecoglou, meanwhile, is clearly mounting.

His celebrations for Pape Matar Sarr's disallowed goal were premature.

And they grabbed the headlines too as he appeared to cup his ears at the Tottenham fans after some chanted 'you don't know what you're doing' when Sarr was brought on for Lucas Bergvall.

Postecoglou denies making this gesture as a way of hitting back at the Spurs fans, though.

When asked about the gesture, he told Sky Sports: "I don't know what you're talking about.

"I wanted them to be happy. We'd just scored a cracking goal so I wanted the supporters to cheer.

"They hadn't had a lot to cheer about."

The result, Spurs' their 16th Premier League defeat of the season, means they remain 14th in the table.

Meanwhile, Postecoglou broke an unwanted record for becoming the first ever Tottenham manager to lose his opening four league games against Chelsea.

As for Chelsea they go back into fourth spot having briefly been leapfrogged by Manchester City and Newcastle during the earlier midweek games.

Ange Postecoglou has hit a new low as Tottenham boss following their defeat to Chelsea.

Spurs fell to a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, a disappointing result against their fierce London rivals.

To make things worse, Postecoglou did something that no other Tottenham manager has done while in the job.

Defeat to Chelsea means that the Australian is the first ever Tottenham boss to lose each of his first four league games against the Blues while in charge of the club.

Postecoglou had already lost his three Premier League meetings with the west Londoners before the clash on Thursday night.

They're the only side that he has faced without yet picking up a single point in the competition.

With that run now stretching to four games, Chelsea have become the ultimate bogey club for big Ange.

The Blues dominated from the start with Nicolas Jackson going close, before Guglielmo Vicario denied Jadon Sancho before half-time.

Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea ahead early in the second half with a great header, getting on the end of a pinpoint cross from the left by Cole Palmer.

Moises Caicedo then looked to have doubled their lead, only for a lengthy VAR stoppage to rule out his goal for offside.

This was after Levi Colwill strayed into an offside position before the midfielder let fly with a shot from the edge of the area.

Pape Matar Sarr thought he'd levelled the game for Spurs, but saw his long-range effort ruled out after VAR ruled he had fouled Caicedo in the build-up.

It was a bitter blow for Tottenham who struggled to get back into the game from that point on.

Defeat means that Tottenham remain in 14th place in the Premier League table with 34 points from 30 games.

Meanwhile Chelsea have leapfrogged both Newcastle United and Manchester City to move up to fourth.

On 52 points, the Blues are now 18 points ahead of Spurs in the table.

Next up for Postecoglou's side is a home clash with Southampton on Sunday before they return to Europa League action.

They host Eintracht Frankfurt on next Thursday with the away leg scheduled for Thursday April 17.

Success in the Europa League is Spurs' only remaining chance of winning silverware and ultimately, qualifying for Europe next term.

Chelsea and Tottenham renew their epic rivalry tonight, live on talkSPORT, and one man who played for both has no doubt about where his allegiances lie.

talkSPORT's Jason Cundy played for the Blues and Spurs during his Premier League career - but his colours are firmly nailed to the mast.

And that's despite being forced to sign for the Lilywhites while being a lifelong Stamford Bridge supporter.

The two teams meet for the second time this season on Thursday evening, live on talkSPORT, with Spurs out for revenge.

Ahead of their first meeting in December, which Enzo Maresca's men won 4-3, Cundy was ribbed about his Tottenham past on talkSPORT's YouTube show Inside Chelsea.

"Well, it was terrible," he laughed.

"I mean, I don't even want to talk, move on please. I can't talk about it.

"I've got no love for Spurs at all," he continued. "I dislike Spurs as much now as I did before I joined them."

Cundy was part of Chelsea's academy but left Stamford Bridge in 1992 after 41 league appearances and two goals.

He joined Tottenham on loan initially but then left permanently for White Hart Lane in the same year.

The defender spent four years on the books with the north London club but only managed 18 league appearances before leaving for Ipswich in 1996.

Asked how challenging the transfer was for him, he added: "It was a very odd scenario because I just signed a four and a half year contract in the November, and by the time March came around, Chelsea accepted a bid.

"I had a phone call from [Chelsea manager] Ian Porterfield saying to me, 'We've accepted a bid and [Tottenham manager] Terry Venables is going to phone you this afternoon'.

"It was very different back then because, if the club wanted you gone, you went.

"Now the players got far more power. If the club want you out, they want you out. And they wanted the money more than me. Chelsea made their choices.

"They made their decisions. And unfortunately, I had no choice but to make mine. But look, it's part of my life. It happened.

"And, you know, I'm very lucky now. I went away, but I've come back."

The clash between the two sides is set to be fiery, with Tottenham losing each of their last three Premier League games against Chelsea.

A year ago, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie were both sent-off in a 4-1 home defeat to their neighbours, with Spurs then blowing a 2-0 lead to lose 4-3 in December's reverse meeting.

Battles between the two sides have historically been explosive, too.

And asked if that fire was always there, Cundy added: "Even the youth team. It was ingrained in you in the youth team what this game meant.

"But as a Chelsea fan, I didn't need to be told because it was very much there that. The game will crackle.

“And there's certain games, and this is why I love football, because there's certain games at certain stadiums where you know you're at something big.

"I know that Brentford are a west London rival. Brentford under the lights or Spurs under the lights. Let me tell you, you can't compare the two.

"There is nothing compared. And whoever's going to be at the stadium at the weekend, Chelsea fans, right? They'll be in. That will be like a proper, proper battle."

Chelsea legend John Terry bit back in spectacular fashion when Jamie O'Hara reminded him of the 2008 League Cup final.

The Blues host Tottenham in a London derby at 8pm on Thursday evening - live and exclusively on talkSPORT.

Chelsea had most of the bragging rights throughout Terry's reign as captain, particularly when it came to silverware.

However, there was one exception - the 2008 League Cup final - which saw Tottenham claim their only trophy of the modern era with victory over Chelsea in the final.

Terry, who won 17 trophies with the Blues, joined talkSPORT's Breakfast Show in March, where he was reminded about that fateful day by ex-Spurs midfielder O'Hara.

O'Hara asked: "Spurs last won a trophy in 2008, beating your mob. You played… Ange has promised to win a trophy in his second season. Will they win the Europa League? And if they don't, do you get rid of him?"

But Terry, who has been known to take shots at Tottenham long into his retirement from the game, had the perfect response.

He said: "That's the only trophy they've won in about 100 years and probably will be in the next 100 as well."

After fits of laughter in the talkSPORT studio, Terry added: "Will they win it? I'm not sure. They look different. They look a different side to me this year.

"They don't look the exciting threat pace they had up front before. I think it's a thing with modern day football as well.

"I'm not sure teams are running behind anymore."

Both clubs have European quarter-finals in the coming weeks, with Chelsea facing Legia Warszawa in the Europa Conference League and Tottenham hosting Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League.

Chelsea can go fourth with a victory over Spurs on Thursday, while Postecoglou's side are languishing in 14th, knowing only Europa League glory can salvage their miserable campaign.

Maresca's side sit sixth in the Premier League, although just five points separate the Blues from 10th-placed Bournemouth.

Terry spoke on a whole range of topics, including Enzo Maresca's current Chelsea squad.

A large part of Chelsea's success this season is down to superstar midfielder Cole Palmer, who has 14 goals and six assists in the league this season, despite his current goal drought extending back to January.

Terry admitted that Palmer wins the bleep test on the training ground at Cobham 'by a mile'.

The iconic defender said: "He's quite quick, I was at Chelsea the other day, and they were doing a bleep test. He won it by a mile. He was cruising, like people were dropping out. He was there right to the end.

"In terms of fitness levels and the power, he looks quite skinny, but very strong. [He] takes the ball on the half-turn really quick as well. Like, impossible to play against."

Terry added the game 'seems to be too easy' for Palmer at times and hailed his partnership with Blues striker Nicolas Jackson.

"He strolls through games a little bit, but he's so far ahead of everyone else in terms of the way he sees the game," Terry said.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur will clash at Stamford Bridge on Matchday 30 of the Premier League. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from defeats in their last respective matches.

The two sides were involved in an entertaining London Derby in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea won a seven-goal thriller 4-3, with Cole Palmer scoring the decisive goal.

Chelsea vs Tottenham best bets

Chelsea to win - 4/6 with Betfred

Over 3.5 goals - 10/11 with Spreadex

Pedro Neto to score or assist - 29/20 with BetMGM

Chelsea vs Tottenham odds

Find the latest match odds for Chelsea vs Tottenham. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.

Chelsea vs Spurs predictions

Chelsea are in the middle of an almighty scrap for a place in the top four and next season’s Champions League.

It’s becoming increasingly more likely that the Premier League will have five representatives at Europe’s top table next season.

But with the top three running away from the chasing pack, and as many as seven teams in the hunt for the remaining one or two places, the pressure is now really on.

Chelsea are one of the teams in the mix. They started Matchday 30 in fourth place with 49 points from 29 matches. The Blues have won 14, drawn seven and lost eight.

Eight of those 14 wins have come at Stamford Bridge. The Blues average two points per game at home, and only 1.4 points per game on the road.

More worryingly for Maresca ahead of the run-in is that Chelsea haven’t won away from the Bridge since they beat Spurs 4-3 on Matchday 15. Since that win, Chelsea has lost five and drawn two on the road.

At home things are different. Chelsea is on a four match winning streak at the Bridge. They will seek to make that five when they host struggling Spurs.

Tottenham are well out of the race for a place in the top four or five.

It was around this time last season that Ange Postecoglou’s team started to falter with the top four in sight. And it’s probably fair to say that Spurs haven’t changed much since last year’s inconsistent run-in.

The Lillywhites have just 34 points from 29 matches. Ange Postecoglou’s team has won ten, drawn four and lost a staggering 15 matches. Furthermore, Spurs have scored 55 goals and conceded 43.

Last season Spurs conceded 61 goals, and that was finishing fifth. It’s not hard to see what their biggest problem is.

Injuries have played a part for Spurs. But conceding 104 goals in 67 Premier League matches under Postecoglou is a statistic that can’t be blamed on injuries alone. Postecoglou has to own that stat.

Things have picked up over the past couple of months. Spurs are in the last eight of the Europa League, and they even went on a three-match Premier League winning streak in February.

Sadly for the long-suffering Spurs fans, that was followed by two Premier League defeats and a draw. While in all competitions, Spurs have lost three of their last five, winning just once.

Chelsea vs Spurs betting tips

Both teams suffered setbacks in their respective matches before the international break. Chelsea lost 1-0 away at Arsenal, while Spurs lost 2-0 away to Fulham. Find out who will bounce back with a win in our Chelsea vs Spurs match betting tips:

Chelsea to win

Chelsea are on a four-match winning streak at Stamford Bridge.

The victories have come against Wolves (3-1), West Ham (2-1), Southampton (4-0) and Leicester (1-0).

Spurs have lost four of their last five on the road in all competitions.

Defeats have come at Liverpool (4-0) in the Carabao Cup, Aston Villa (2-1) in the FA Cup, AZ Alkmaar (1-0) in the Europa League and Fulham (2-0) in the Premier League.

Their one positive result was a 4-1 win away at Ipswich in the Premier League on Matchday 26.

It’s hardly inspiring form, and it only points to a home win for Chelsea.

⚽ Back Chelsea to win at 4/6 with Betfred ⚽

Over 3.5 goals

Last season's match between Chelsea and Spurs at Stamford Bridge saw just two goals. But there were five in the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and seven in this season’s match in north London.

There have been over 3.5 goals in three of Chelsea’s last five at the Bridge and over 4.5 goals in two of Tottenham’s last four on the road.

Chelsea will be fired up for this match and the Lillywhites only know one way to play

An early goal will likely spark this fixture into life.

⚽ Back over 3.5 goals at 10/11 with Spreadex ⚽

Pedro Neto to score or assist

Pedro Neto has become a first choice selection for Enzo Maresca in recent weeks.

Injuries to players in Neto’s position may have played a part, but it’s fair to say that the former Wolves winger has taken his opportunity.

Neto has scored one and provided two assists in his last four in the Premier League.

He started with an assist in Chelsea’s 2-1 loss away at Aston Villa. He followed that with a goal and an assist against Southampton at the Bridge.

There were no goal involvements in the 1-0 win over Leicester or the 1-0 loss to Arsenal.

But Neto is starting to grow in confidence at his new club and is worth backing to have a goal involvement against a Spurs team that is poor at the back.

⚽ Back Pedro Neto to score or assist at 29/20 with BetMGM ⚽

📺 How to watch Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur

Location: Stamford Bridge, London, England.

Date and time: Thursday 3rd April, 8pm BST.

How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.

Read more about the 2024/25 football season

Premier League winner predictions

Premier League top scorer odds

Premier League relegation odds

Champions League winner odds

Championship promotion odds

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