Football London

There were fireworks the last time Spurs and Chelsea met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with goals galore and one player having to apologise for their actions

Tottenham welcome Chelsea on Saturday evening, with manager Thomas Frank eager to ensure his side avoids repeating the errors that proved costly in last season's corresponding fixture.

In December, Spurs midfielder Yves Bissouma was forced to issue an apology following his team's dramatic collapse against the Blues, having established a commanding 2-0 lead inside the opening 12 minutes.

Last year, then-manager Ange Postecoglou witnessed his side surrender their lead and ultimately lose 4-3, as his team conceded two penalties that Chelsea capitalised upon. Bissouma was at fault for the opening spot-kick after bringing down Moises Caicedo on the hour mark, allowing Cole Palmer to equalise.

After the defeat for Spurs, Bissouma took to social media afterwards to apologise to both team-mates and supporters for his reckless challenge that ignited the turnaround. He wrote: "I'm so sad for that mistake it's burning me because we lost the game today from this mistake.

"I feel sorry for my team-mates, staff and fans. I take all the responsibility for that one. I'll learn from this one, it's time now to show the real me. Thanks for all the support."

Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher was among numerous pundits to condemn Bissouma's rash error inside the penalty area, controversially suggesting the midfielder was "brain dead" for attempting the tackle.

Speaking on Sky Sports at the time, the former Red said: "I've said all day that some of the things Tottenham players do is absolutely ridiculous. It's a certain penalty, and it was his (Bissouma's) mistake initially on the far side, losing the ball to [Pedro] Neto.

"And he maybe comes flying across thinking, 'I've got to try and rectify this in some way'. He was really poor on the first challenge on Neto. That is absolutely brain dead. I mean, who'd be a manager?"

Postecoglou expressed his frustration with the error, describing it as "unnecessary." The former Spurs boss said: "In the second half they came out and put us under pressure.

"I felt we were handling it not too badly and then when they scored we had a big moment at 2-2 to go 3-2 up and in these kind of games, those moments are important. We don't take it and then both penalties were poor on our behalf.

"They're self-inflicted and unnecessary challenges. We've given them two goals away for no reason and given ourselves a mountain to climb which proved too hard."

Bissouma will be absent from Saturday evening's fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium due to an ankle problem as the two teams clash once more.

Supporters will be anticipating another thrilling encounter similar to last season's meeting. With both sides having netted 17 goals across nine matches, an entertaining spectacle looks likely.

Here is the Tottenham Hotspur team that Thomas Frank has picked to take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday evening

Thomas Frank has made four changes to his Tottenham team as they welcome Chelsea on Saturday in the Premier League.

Spurs have got a trio of players back from their long injury list with Frank getting captain Cristian Romero, left-back Destiny Udogie and winger Wilson Odobert back in contention for the derby, with all three on the bench. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario returns between the sticks after needing some treatment in midweek and both Micky van de Ven and Mohammed Kudus are back the starting line-up after being rested in the Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle United.

Randal Kolo Muani makes his second consecutive Premier League start up front with Richarlison on the bench, while Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr keep their places in the midfield. With the number of central midfielders involved, it could be a back three with Joao Palhinha once again in defence or a diamond in the centre of the pitch with two forwards up top.

Xavi Simons is on the bench against the team he was linked with for much of the summer before joining Tottenham.

Here's the Tottenham team Frank has chosen to face Chelsea:

The former Tottenham player showed a very different side to himself when he was unveiled on a major television show in his homeland

Ask Tottenham fans to describe Toby Alderweireld and they're more likely to remember an unflappable centre-back than a singing owl, but that's exactly what the Belgian was revealed as on Friday night.

The 36-year-old defender played for Tottenham over six years and formed one of the club's best ever central defensive partnerships with his compatriot Jan Vertonghen. Alderweireld turned out 236 times for the north London outfit and was a key part of Mauricio Pochettino's side that reached the Champions League final in 2019.

When Alderweireld left Spurs in 2021, he had a brief stint in Qatar before embarking on a memorable final chapter in his career at his hometown club Royal Antwerp. The Belgian scored a dramatic last-gasp goal to land them their first league title in 66 years in 2023 and then led them into the Champions League group stages for the first time in their history before announcing his retirement at the end of last season.

Many wondered what the next move would be for Alderweireld, who played 127 times for his country, but few would have expected it to come on Belgium's version of The Masked Singer.

Yet it was revealed on Friday night that the former Ajax, Atletico Madrid and Southampton defender had been strutting his stuff and singing songs such as The Killers' classic Mr. Brightside as Oehoe, the show's eagle-owl. When Alderweireld was finally unmasked in the most recent episode, despite singing and dancing with a giant owl head on to Liquido's Narcotic, his hair was unsurprisingly perfect when the mask was taken off.

It's perhaps worth noting that Royal Antwerp's mascot is an owl and the club's stadium, Bosuilstadion, is also called The Owl's Nest.

"This hurts a little bit," Alderweireld said on the show after his run came to an end. "As a competitive person, I would have liked to stay in it a bit longer."

He added: "I considered giving up a few times, but in the end, I decided to keep going. I look back on it with a big smile."

Alderweireld posted on Instagram after the episode aired: "And that’s a wrap for me on The Masked Singer! I had the best time performing and keeping the secret alive. Massive thanks to my partner in feathers, Oehoe. What a ride!"

Some in Belgium had begun to suspect it was the former Tottenham man and he was asked about it in a recent podcast appearance.

'I've been asked that question a few times," he said during his appearance on HLN Voetbalpodcast. "I know of the question, but who knows? Who knows? Do I have a set answer to that question? Well, no, I don't know myself. So maybe that's the answer I have to give."

It turns out those eagle-eyed, or eared, viewers were right as Alderweireld was finally unmasked this week on the hit television show.

Premier League action returns with Chelsea making the short trip to London rivals Tottenham

Tottenham and Chelsea go head to head at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday with both sides keen to get one over on their London rivals. Spurs know a win in north London would propel them into second place, while the Blues could move up into the top four should results go their way.

Chelsea have won the last four meetings between the sides and Thomas Frank's men will want to put that right this time around. Both sides have struggled for consistency, however, and it should make for an interesting game.

Alan Shearer is predicting both sides to come away with a point. Speaking to Betfair the Premier League legend said: "This game is always a tough one to call, always a bit of spice, always really interesting, and always chucks up some incidents. We’ll have to wait and see, but with it being a London derby, I'm going to say a score draw in this one, and a point each.

"One thing Chelsea can’t afford is another red card. Losing a player in these games can make a huge difference, but it wouldn’t surprise me because there’s always a bit of needle in this game. Prediction - draw."

Harry Redknapp, meanwhile, disagrees with Shearer and believes Tottenham will have enough to come away with all three points. Redknapp told football betting site BetVictor: " What a game this is, and what a hard one to predict!

"Spurs had been a little bit out of form but that was a very impressive win away to Everton and that should give them a real lift. A win here would be massive for them and add to what’s been a good start for Thomas Frank.

"As for Chelsea, I just can’t make my mind up on them! A couple of weeks ago, they beat Liverpool and that felt like a big moment for them, and they go and lose to Sunderland at home last time out. Another defeat here and there could be a bit of pressure on the players and of course, the gaffer. I’m picking Spurs, they just seem to be in a better place to me."

After predicting Spurs to win 2-1, Redknapp was asked for his player to watch. He said: "I’m not expecting him to score two again, but what a top player [Micky] van de Ven is and when he’s at his best, Spurs are a very good side."

Injured Chelsea star Cole Palmer has not been afraid to share a joke at Tottenham's expense before Saturday's London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where he won't be able to play

Chelsea star Cole Palmer has cheekily poked fun at Tottenham Hotspur ahead of Saturday's clash in north London.

The Blues travel to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (5:30pm kick-off) hoping to return to winning ways in the Premier League after their shock 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge last weekend. Spurs, meanwhile, know a win over their London rivals will propel them into second place in the league.

One player who won't feature in the derby is Palmer, who has been nursing a groin injury for much of the season. The Chelsea midfielder was raced back from the treatment room in September, only to aggravate the problem a week later.

But that hasn't stopped Palmer from sending a playful reminder to Spurs about what happened in the same fixture last season ahead of Saturday evening's showdown.

The 23-year-old used a crying with laughter emoji on his Instagram story alongside reposting a ‘last time out at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’ highlights package, where he audaciously chipped a penalty straight down the middle during a 4-3 win for the Blues.

Chelsea may have an excellent overall record against Spurs, but Maresca believes the game will be 'difficult' for his side.

"Tottenham, I think they are doing very good," he said in Friday's pre-match press conference. "They finished last season winning the Europa League.

"They started very good this season and also because it's a derby for sure it would be a difficult game."

Palmer will not be the only absentee for Maresca's team. Striker Liam Delap will be suspended for the Premier League fixture after being sent off against Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

Maresca offered a stern response to the forward's decision-making, which resulted in the sending off, and has now been asked again about his comments.

"Probably because I'm not from England so sometimes when I try to translate from Italian to English sometimes it's a bit different," he said. "Liam when he's inside the pitch is more focused to do his battle against the central defender than the rest.

"This was what I was telling, what I was trying to say after that game."

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Gus Poyet spent four years at Chelsea and won various domestic cup honours as well as a European trophy in his debut season, but his time at the club ended in anger

Gus Poyet admitted that he was "naive" to have made the switch from Chelsea to Tottenham. He claims his departure was a consequence of Claudio Ranieri's tenure at Stamford Bridge.

Poyet spent four successful years with the Blues, winning numerous domestic cups and a European trophy in his first season. He has taken time to reflect on his controversial move between the two London clubs.

The historic rivalry between Spurs and Chelsea, which Poyet confesses he was oblivious to at the time of his transfer, will be reignited this Saturday when they face off in the Premier League at 5.30pm.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, the Uruguayan quickly became a crowd favourite, netting 49 goals and providing 16 assists in 144 appearances. However, his decision to cross the London divide and join Tottenham in 2001 left a sour taste.

Chelsea, who had signed Poyet on a free transfer, accepted nearly £3million from Tottenham for the midfielder's services in the summer of 2001. This coincided with Ranieri's settling-in period in London, a time when the Italian faced backlash for selling popular players, including Dennis Wise.

In a 2012 interview with The Standard, Poyet criticised his former boss, stating that his move across London was not within his control. He said: "I still have a strong feeling for them. I played in a very good Chelsea team and for most of the time we were in control of games.

"We won very good trophies in England and in Europe and it was one of the best times in my career. I took a lot of stick from the Chelsea supporters for joining Tottenham, but I had to stay in London for the sake of my childrens' education.

"I was a victim of Claudio Ranieri's changes. I had a year left on my contract and was still very fit to play, but the manager thought I couldn't play week in, week out. The same thing happened to Dennis Wise and he had been the captain for 11 years."

Poyet went on to acknowledge his inexperience regarding the animosity between Spurs and Chelsea, adding: "I knew I was joining a rival club but I didn't view it in those terms.

"I asked myself what the great, great rivalries are in London and I would say it's Tottenham-Arsenal. Maybe people might now add Tottenham-Chelsea, but for me it is not up there with Arsenal.

"So I didn't have that pressure from my side, although I realised afterwards because of the reaction from the Chelsea supporters who asked how it was possible that I was coming to Spurs and how I was betraying them."

Last year, Poyet emphasised his ignorance about the hostility between the two London clubs, telling Full Circle with Bet365: "I will be honest, I was very naive, very naive. I swear by it, it isn't a lie, I had no idea how close they were and all the reactions I would get from Chelsea supporters.

"My explanation is a simple one, because when I played for Chelsea, the two teams that I wanted to beat were Arsenal and Man United. They were the ones winning the league, I wasn't even thinking about Spurs with respect to them. There was even more of a fight against Leeds because of the previous history between the teams, more than when Chelsea played Spurs."

Poyet added: "When I was at Chelsea, it was during a time when we were beating Spurs often enough that no one made a big deal about it and it just seemed like a normal game. I had a couple of offers from some teams out of the country and another option being at Spurs, and I wanted to stay in London.

"So then I moved, and Glenn Hoddle was a big part of that, but after the news had broken it was crazy. I didn't know what I had done, it was madness. It was only then that I realised, but the truth was that I was very naive.

"I didn't realise it would be so dramatic, but now I'm on the other side with a team that didn't beat Chelsea for however long. As much as I loved Chelsea, my character meant I had to do everything in my power to win for Spurs now.

"The first couple of games against Chelsea, we lost, but we eventually beat them on the third attempt I think. It was a strange night, but it was important as a professional."

Here's the Tottenham Hotspur team that we reckon Thomas Frank will select to face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday evening

Thomas Frank finally has some key players back and available for selection as Tottenham host Chelsea on Saturday in the Premier League.

Spurs' injury problems have once again spiked to a level that has seen the number of unavailable players reaching double figures but Frank at least confirmed on Friday that captain Cristian Romero, left-back Destiny Udogie and winger Wilson Odobert are all back in contention for this weekend's derby.

Romero could be thrown straight back into the action in the heart of the defence, such is his influence on the team, but the Spurs boss may hold Udogie and Odobert back in reserve to come on later in the match as fresh legs down the left against Enzo Maresca's side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is expected to return between the sticks after needing some treatment in midweek while Micky van de Ven and Mohammed Kudus will also return to the starting line-up after being rested from it in the Carabao Cup defeat at Newcastle United.

Frank will have to decide whether Lucas Bergvall or Pape Matar Sarr keep their spots in midfield with Joao Palhinha able to return from his central defensive role at St James' Park. Randal Kolo Muani could also get a second consecutive Premier League start up front in place of Richarlison.

Here's the Tottenham team we reckon Frank could select to face Chelsea:

The predicted Chelsea line-up for this evening's Premier League showdown away at Tottenham with the Blues looking for their fifth win on the bounce against their rivals

Chelsea will be looking to take advantage of Tottenham's woes at home in recent times with a fifth successive victory over their London rivals.

The Blues have a terrific recent record against Spurs, and the north Londoners’ home form may give Enzo Maresca and his side even more cause for optimism this evening. Tottenham have picked up just 13 points from their last 18 Premier League games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with only one home win under their belt this season.

Maresca, meanwhile, will be desperate for his team to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointment at home to Sunderland in the league, with the Black Cats scoring a 93rd-minute winner to claim all three points at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea did get back to winning ways in midweek, beating Wolves 4-3 in a thrilling Carabao Cup fourth round tie at Molineux.

The Blues fielded a second-string XI in Wolverhampton, and Maresca is expected to make wholesale changes to the line-up for this evening’s match, as Bobby Vincent discusses below in his predicted team:

Robert Sanchez

Filip Jorgensen got the 90 minutes on Wednesday as it was a cup tie, but Sanchez is expected to return in goal today. The Chelsea goalkeeper can expect plenty of pressure on him - particularly when he has the ball at his feet, so he will have to be on it from the very first minute in north London.

Reece James

The Chelsea skipper travelled to Wolverhampton in midweek but was an unused substitute at Molineux. James should be fresh and raring to go in a game where Chelsea will need their captain at his brilliant best.

Josh Acheampong

This would be his fourth start in the Premier League on the bounce. The 19-year-old has been tremendous recently and has looked like Chelsea's strongest central defender over the past few weeks.

Trevoh Chalobah

Alongside Acheampong is expected to be Chalobah. Not been at his best recently, but will be hoping to return to his best this evening for a fixture he knows the significance of.

Marc Cucurella

Cucurella was brought on around the hour-mark in midweek, with Maresca having one eye firmly on the trip to Spurs. The Spaniard continues to be one of the first names on the team sheet these days.

Romeo Lavia

Simply put, Chelsea look a much better side with Lavia in the midfield. He did start at Molineux, so it will be interesting to see whether Maresca believes he can pick the Belgian midfielder for back-to-back matches with little turnaround.

Moises Caicedo

Caicedo came on for the final few minutes in the west Midlands three days ago to try and help see the game out for Chelsea. The Ecuadorian, all things considered, should be relatively fresh for this evening's trip to north London.

Pedro Neto

Like Caicedo, Neto was used briefly towards the end at Molineux. There is, of course, a shout for Estevao Willian to start the game but Maresca may go for his tried and trusted in Neto instead.

Enzo Fernandez

Perhaps came on a little bit earlier than anticipated on Wednesday evening, but Maresca was looking to wrestle back control from a game that was slipping away from the Blues. No doubt Fernandez starts this one as he looks to score in a third consecutive game against Spurs.

Jamie Gittens

Gittens or Alejandro Garnacho? That is the big question. If he is going on merit, then it has to be Gittens. The 21-year-old winger was sensational in Wednesday evening’s win at Wolves and could not have done anything more to start this one.

Joao Pedro

The Brazil international was an unused substitute in midweek, which will be a big relief for Maresca, who recently admitted the forward was struggling with his fitness. Joao Pedro is without a goal in his last eight games for the Blues - in all competitions - and will be desperate to put that right later on today. Liam Delap is suspended.

Chelsea will be looking to have the upper-hand against a Tottenham side who have enjoyed a solid transition to life under Thomas Frank

A London derby that rarely disappoints, Tottenham Hotspur welcome Chelsea on Saturday in what is arguably the standout fixture of this Premier League weekend.

Both teams come into gameweek 10 following contrasting fortunes in the EFL Cup. Spurs were knocked out by Newcastle United, while Chelsea edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers in a thrilling seven-goal encounter.

Tottenham’s hopes of domestic silverware have already taken a hit under Thomas Frank, as his side’s inconsistency was exposed by Newcastle’s aerial dominance at St James’ Park on Wednesday. Two headers from Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade were enough to send Spurs out of the competition, a harsh reality check after their impressive Premier League win just days earlier.

In the league, Spurs recently became the first team to defeat Everton at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Micky van de Ven starring with a brace and Pape Sarr adding another to secure their fifth Premier League victory of the campaign. However, a return of just one win from their last five matches highlights Tottenham’s recent struggles, though the Premier League table still paints a positive picture. Only Arsenal and Bournemouth sit above Spurs, who are five points adrift of the leaders after nine games.

Tottenham’s current league position, however, is not thanks to their home form. The Lilywhites have managed just one point from their last three Premier League fixtures at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with only Burnley suffering defeat there this season. This statistic could be cause for concern as they prepare to face a Chelsea side buoyed by three consecutive away wins.

Chelsea’s latest road victory was a hard-fought 4-3 triumph over Wolves in the EFL Cup, a match that saw the Blues’ youngsters make history by becoming the first Premier League side to have four different scorers aged 21 or under in a single game. Even a red card for Liam Delap couldn’t stop Chelsea from progressing, though their league form remains inconsistent. A shock 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge marked their third loss in five Premier League games, leaving Enzo Maresca’s men in ninth place. Only twice before have Chelsea lost four of their opening ten league matches in a Premier League season.

Despite their ups and downs, Chelsea have a strong record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Their memorable 4-3 win there last season was their fifth Premier League victory at the ground—no visiting team has won more often.

With both teams looking to bounce back and plenty of attacking talent on display, Saturday’s clash promises to deliver the drama and excitement that this fixture so often provides.

Tottenham vs Chelsea Betting Tips

Chelsea to win and both teams to score - 15/4 (Betfred)

Mohammed Kudus to score anytime - 7/2 (Betfred)

Enzo Fernandez to score anytime - 4/1 (Betfred)

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The Tottenham Hotspur head coach has backed his playmaker to shine and admitted that the club need to splash the cash to keep up

Thomas Frank has no doubt that Xavi Simons will become a Tottenham star as the Dutchman prepares to face Chelsea - the team who appeared set to sign him all summer.

The Blues had long been expected to snap up the 22-year-old but needed to sell forward Nicolas Jackson before they could make their move for the Bundesliga star. As that exit hit delays, Spurs swooped in to grab the Netherlands international in a £51million deal from RB Leipzig.

Since arriving on the north side of the capital, Xavi has shown glimpses of his quality but with just one assist so far and no goals to his name, the midfielder is yet to fully show the ability that has long marked him out as one of Europe's young stars since his teenage years.

However, his head coach Frank remains as excited about the playmaker's signing ahead of Saturday's derby with Chelsea as he did when Spurs first made their move for the Dutchman.

"I’m in no doubt that Xavi will perform very well for us," said the Tottenham boss. "That is down to him, me, the team, to everyone to get it done. The one thing you don’t have in football is time, but it will take time. It’s completely natural.

"Sometimes we can’t talk about processes and time, but the reality is you need it, everyone needs it. I’m confident, I’m sure it will happen."

Frank believes though that not everything can be pinned on Xavi with Tottenham having lost three of their most creative players from last season.

"It’s probably too much to put everything on Xavi in terms of when he’s clicking then the team is just free-floating," he said. "When this team was clicking well in the last two seasons it definitely involved, most likely, Maddison, Kulusevski and Son at the same time.

“Dom [Solanke] came to the club last year for the first time, as I remember. So those three on the pitch at the same time gave the team a lift. So that’s why it cannot be on one player, in my opinion, it needs to be on three to four to get the team clicking.

"But I also understand that there are some players who need to add more to get the team free-floating and in that case, Xavi is definitely one of the players that needs to do that.

"He is taking steps forward. He’s getting into the right areas and now it’s just the last decisive pass and action that can make the difference. His fitness is growing, his intensity is growing. He’s come to a country where you need to train with high intensity. It’s a league which plays with high intensity, and I’m asking him to work harder.

"Then he comes into our team where we are finding our way together. Even though he’s quite an experienced 22-year-old, he’s still coming to a new country. I think it's very normal, but I’m sitting down with him, I’m evaluating him and he is taking steps forward."

Frank was asked whether Spurs could see Maddison in action again this season following his anterior cruciate ligament injury in the summer.

"This season? Er.. that I don’t know. The short answer would be maybe. He got the injury on [August 3]. I think we need to get past Christmas to see how quick he is going," he said. "Normally you would say nine months, as I understand it, without me being a doctor. So, let’s see."

Solanke is nearing his return from an ankle injury that has dogged him since the summer and the Spurs boss had told football.london that the England international would return after the upcoming international break as the club look to ensure he stays back for good this time and he won't be thrown back into the action.

"When he will be back, it’s very unlikely that when he’s back for the first game, he will start. That would probably not be the right way to do it," explained the Dane. "I haven’t seen any player do that when they’ve been out for three or four months. Most likely when he’s back, he will come off the bench and then we will take it from there."

Spurs have faced familiar injury problems to last season with unavailable players reaching double figures again and the head coach admitted a club's squad must have the perfect number to allow quality cover while not reaching the high numbers that teams like Chelsea have had in recent seasons.

"I don't know the exact number of players you need to have enough depth. I think you need to have enough robust depth in the squad so for example I don't think it's the right answer to have 30 players, that's way too many, for us to go extreme," he said. "Probably not right to have 18 either. You need to have that perfect number where everyone has a chance and we can also use everyone, that's it, and then plus you’re not too short."

After pumping £100million into the club, Tottenham are set to get further backing from their owners the Lewis family in the coming transfer windows as the Premier League's big boys keep spending around the north London outfit and Frank admitted that the more clubs spend the more success they are likely to have.

"It’s up to us to try to shorten that distance as much as possible but of course it’s evident the more money you use on the squad, the better the chance of success," he said. "But it’s not 100 per cent sure. Can we nail the culture, the way we want to play, how we develop the players and the team, make even more togetherness? Then we’ll be able to get a little bit closer.

"It is the same here [as it was at Brentford] but if you’re at the top as well, it’s the same in that sense. It’s always about out-performing what you have to work with."

Frank has been handed a triple boost ahead of Chelsea's visit on Saturday by the return from injury of captain Cristian Romero, left-back Destiny Udogie and winger Wilson Odobert.

Spurs have struggled in recent seasons to beat the Blues but Frank believes it's now time for that to change and pointed to the biggest derby of all.

"Sometimes there's a little bit of momentum to one team for a small time, then that will change. One of the biggest derbies in the world is El Clasico, Real Madrid-Barcelona," he said. "There's always been times where Madrid or Barcelona was on top, but then it changes to the other team. Hopefully this is a good time for us to change the momentum and get on top."