Thomas Frank delivers Spurs verdict on 'unique and special' Chelsea & Enzo Maresca
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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank was full of praise for his Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash between the two sides.
It is an important derby between two London sides, who are both aiming to close the gap to the top of the table.
Chelsea have had the better run of results in recent weeks, but Spurs are three points ahead of Maresca's side in third place in the league table.
However, despite the obvious animosity between these clubs, there remains space for admiration, too. In this case, it is from one head coach to another.
"Enzo's done an amazing job at Chelsea," Frank said in his press conference on Friday.
"First season, qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Conference League, so competing in definitely more than one front.
"Won the Club World Cup and had a decent start to the season - very impressive.
"It was very clear what he and his staff want to achieve, how they want to play.
"So, yeah, it's going to be a nice, good challenge, another nice, good challenge in the Premier League against a very good manager and a very good team."
Frank is also aware of Chelsea's recent disciplinary issues on the pitch, with Liam Delap being their fifth player to receive a red card in their last nine games.
He does not think this would give his team any significant advantage, however, and prefers his players to focus on themselves instead.
"I haven't looked into every single red card that they've had of the six they got," Frank admitted.
"Probably different reasons. Probably not only a lack of discipline, it can also be a coincidence.
"So, I don't know. It's about us and the game we can play. We need to perform and be intense with a cool head."
When speaking about the match, he could not hide his excitement.
"A game against Chelsea, especially a home game against Chelsea, under the floodlights, is going to be unique and special," he added.
"I can't wait for it. The players are really looking forward to it. It's a fantastic occasion. We need the fans behind us."
Gerry Crisandy is a freelance writer who has covered Chelsea for many years. His work has been published on The Chelsea Chronicle and Pride of London. He grew up idolising Michael Ballack and is a firm believer in expected goals.