Photo: The White House / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong has said any match against Tottenham Hotspur carries special meaning for him, regardless of the occasion. The 20-year-old made his senior Chelsea debut in a Premier League win over Spurs at Stamford Bridge in 2024.
"When it's that fixture, there are no friendlies. So it'll be good," Acheampong said. "Every time I play Tottenham, I feel like it just holds a special place in my heart – and it's always nice to beat them."
Acheampong is currently on Chelsea's pre-season tour in Sydney, Australia. The squad opened the trip with a 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers before preparing for a London derby against Spurs at Stadium Australia on 1 August.
The defender also spoke about his early impressions of new Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso. He said the Spaniard's ability to demonstrate techniques himself in training has made an immediate impact on the squad.
"I was watching YouTube clips of him when I was younger – and still now just to learn," Acheampong said. "He can demonstrate it – like, for example, his passing, he'll just do it and then it's like: 'Wow'. So you can see first-hand what it's like to be on that level."
On Alonso's defensive demands, Acheampong was clear: "The main thing he wants from us is to defend first, to be fair. Obviously, he also likes defenders that can play on the ball, so it's just about asking and learning."
Acheampong noted personal growth since his first pre-season tour with the senior squad in the United States two years ago. "Off the pitch I've got a lot more confident. On the pitch, I feel like there's still a lot more to come from me."
The Chelsea versus Tottenham pre-season fixture kicks off at 10:45am UK time on Saturday 1 August.