Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will make his return to Stamford Bridge when his team lock horns with Chelsea in the first leg of the EFL Cup semifinals today.
Conte, who won the Premier League and FA Cup during his time with Chelsea, replaced Nuno Espirito Santo in the Spurs hotseat earlier this season and has since turned around their fortunes.
The Italian has lost just two games since taking charge of the north London club and has ensured Spurs are once again in the hunt for a top-four spot.
A win on Wednesday would also move Spurs one step closer to ending their 13-year trophy drought.
But the Lilywhites have a miserable record against Chelsea; they have won only one of their last eight meetings with the Blues and were handed a 3-0 drubbing in the Premier League earlier this season.
On that note here’s a look at the key battles that could determine the outcome of Wednesday’s clash:
#1 Harry Kane vs Antonio Rudiger
Rudiger has developed into Chelsea’s most important defender under Thomas Tuchel. The German has been a mainstay in a defence that’s conceded just 16 goals in the league this season.
But he will have his hands full against Harry Kane, who is slowly finding his best form after a poor start to the campaign.
The England captain has netted three times in his last five appearances in all competitions and will be Spurs’ main goal threat on Wednesday.
#2 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg vs Mateo Kovacic
Whichever team wins the midfield battle could come out on top on Wednesday. Kovacic plays an important role in transition for Chelsea, given his ability to dribble out of pressure and play defense-splitting passes. The Croat will also be high on confidence after his stunning goal against Liverpool at the weekend.
Hojbjerg, on his part, will be tasked with keeping Kovacic in check and preventing the Croat from getting too much time on the ball. If he can shadow Kovacic and reduce his impact on the game, Spurs will have a great chance at pulling off an upset win.
#3 Christian Pulisic vs Emerson Royal
Pulisic appears to have hit his stride after struggling with injuries at the start of the season. The American winger scored for the first time in 11 games in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool and will fancy his chances against Tottenham’s young full-back Emerson Royal.
Given Royal’s penchant for bombing down the flank and linking up with his attackers, Pulisic might just find himself in plenty of space to weave his magic.
