In the lead-up to Sunday’s London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham, Blues manager Enzo Maresca has called on his team to take advantage of their rivals’ current struggles.

Maresca, who is no stranger to heated rivalries having scored a memorable late equalizer for Juventus against Torino in 2002, acknowledged Tottenham’s defensive issues, with the potential return of Cristian Romero the only positive for manager Ange Postecoglou.

“We try always to exploit,” Maresca said of facing the patched-up Spurs backline. “I think (Cristian) Romero can be back, so probably Romero can be the solution for them in this moment, but we will see.”

While Maresca reflected on his own passionate goal celebration from years past, he urged his Chelsea players to maintain their discipline in the high-stakes clash.

“Today, in football, I know we have many English players but most of them probably come from abroad, they are not even aware about the derby and these kind of things,” he said.

The Chelsea boss expressed confidence in midfielder Moises Caicedo’s ability to continue his impressive form, comparing the 21-year-old to established stars like Rodri and Declan Rice. “He is for sure now at that level,” Maresca stated. “No doubt.”

With Chelsea no longer viewed as the “Cole Palmer FC” of old, Maresca believes his team can inflict damage on their London rivals, who are still seeking their first win over Chelsea under Postecoglou.