Passions high! Alonso tells Blues stars to use derby fire to extinguish Spurs at Stamford Bridge

Xabi Alonso urged his Chelsea players to blend intense passion with composure as he prepares for his first London derby against Tottenham. The Spanish boss dismissed historical records, insisting his squad must play with intelligence and heart at Stamford Bridge.

Alonso prepares for first taste of fierce London derby

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso will experience the intense rivalry between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur for the first time on Saturday evening. The Blues enter the clash in strong domestic form, having scored seven goals across recent victories against Bournemouth and Everton.

Despite Chelsea holding a formidable record of just one home defeat against Spurs in 41 games across all competitions, Alonso insisted past statistics hold no value.

"Last week you asked me about another data that we broke. That means nothing," Alonso stated. "We need to prove again that we can continue that run."

Manager demands blend of passion and emotional discipline

Emphasizing the electric atmosphere expected at Stamford Bridge, Alonso urged his squad to channel the crowd's energy without losing composure. "Every derby is special. You feel the energy, you feel the excitement from the stands," Alonso observed.

"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."

"Play football with heart, this is what we want," the manager demanded.

Midfield battle and squad management key for Alonso

Alonso highlighted the midfield duel as a pivotal tactical arena, praising the clarity of Roberto De Zerbi's tactical principles at Tottenham. "The midfield is a key part of the game," Alonso noted. "We need a very complete game, offensively, defensively, mentality-wise."

Addressing player rotation across his squad, Alonso added: "Whenever you are given the chance, you need to show that you are for that."

"They are training well... I am confident that whoever has to play will be ready."

Monumental week ahead for Chelsea

The London derby marks the start of a grueling week for Alonso's side, which includes high-profile encounters against Liverpool and Manchester United.

"This happens in Premier League... this week is going to be three massive games against top clubs," Alonso concluded.

Chelsea host Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday at 17:30 BST.