With Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur set to clash in the Premier League this weekend, let us revisit the 'Battle of Stamford Bridge' from 2016.
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The showcase fixture of Gameweek 5 in the Premier League will be a London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. This is a match that always has an edge to it, given the hostility that exists between both sets of fans. It will only be a louder affair this time around, as previous encounters last season were played behind closed doors. As such, one can expect a raucous crowd for a highly-anticipated game. In a derby match, however, there is always a chance of things getting out of hand. And never was this more evident than the ‘Battle of Stamford Bridge’ in 2016.
With both teams set to write the latest chapter in a storied rivalry, let’s look back at one of the ugliest moments featuring both sides.
Both teams could not have entered the match with more differing aims for the end of the season. Chelsea, the defending Premier League champions, were looking to round of a shockingly poor season with a few wins.
Tottenham, meanwhile, were in the hunt for the title. However, they needed a win over Chelsea to avoid handing the title to Leicester City. And this is what fanned the flames ahead of the game.
Chelsea players spoke publicly about sticking one in the craw of their rivals. To make matters worse, Spurs had thrown away two points in the previous game against West Brom.
Spurs knew anything less than a win would see them lose the title. To make matters worse, they had not won at Stamford Bridge since 1990.
All of this combined to give us a match that saw 12 yellow cards – 8 for the visiting team. Amazingly, no one got sent off. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves…
Over the course of the first half, Spurs showed why they were title contenders and why Chelsea were struggling in the table – and out of Europe next season.
Their football under Mauricio Pochettino, when at it’s best, was hard to contain. And this proved to be the case here as the desire to win shone through.
Goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min saw them cruise towards half-time with a two-goal advantage. What’s more, the match had not yet descended into bad-tempered farce.
Only two Spurs players had been booked and it seemed like the main story of the second half would be how Chelsea fought back. Or if they could fight back from this position.
However, everything changed in the blink of an eye due to a late tackle from Danny Rose on Willian.
The challenge, coming just before the first half ended, took place in front of the Chelsea dugout. And all hell broke loose thereafter.
A mass brawl ensued, with Mousa Dembele of all people eye-gouging Diego Costa. Both players involved in the incident were booked, which seemed suspicious given Willian was the one tackled.
Others believed Rose should have seen red for the reckless challenge. Either way, it laid the groundwork for a nasty second half of football.
Chelsea came out clearly motivated to prove a point in the second half. Gary Cahill would halve the deficit from a corner that featured some questionable defending.
But it was Eden Hazard who would prove to be the difference maker. In the 83rd minute, he found space to cut in from the left and curl one into the top-right corner.
The match continued to remain an ill-tempered affair, and many believed Spurs should have had two players sent off in the second half. Erik Lamela tread on Cesc Fabregas’ hand, whereas Eric Dier wiped out Hazard from behind with a challenge nowhere near the ball.
After the game the confrontations carried on. Michel Vorm, then Spurs’ reserve goalkeeper, was involved in a tunnel altercation with Costa. The melee even reached Guus Hiddink, then Chelsea’s interim manager.
The game saw Leicester win the title but Chelsea and Spurs were both handed fines. Afterwards, referee Mark Clattenburg revealed why he didn’t send off any players – despite having every reason to.
“It was theatre,” Clattenburg later recalled. “I went in with a gameplan: that I didn’t want Tottenham Hotspur blaming Mark Clattenburg that they were losing the title. There should have been three red cards to Tottenham.
“I allowed them to self-destruct so all the media, all the people in the world went, ‘Tottenham lost the title’.
“If I sent three players off from Tottenham, what are the headlines?, ‘Clattenburg cost Tottenham the title’. It was pure theatre that Tottenham self-destructed against Chelsea and Leicester won the title.”
Few can argue with his logic, although his loose grip on the proceedings only made things worse. And thus, the ‘Battle of Stamford Bridge’ heightened what was already a heated rivalry.
