Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge keeps hopes of European football alive and extends a strong Premier League home derby run, while Robert Sanchez says the squad is already thinking about working under incoming head coach Xabi Alonso next season.
The win leaves Chelsea still outside the Champions League spots, yet a place in Europe remains possible if results go their way, with Sanchez stressing that six points from the final two league games would give the squad a realistic chance of qualification.
Chelsea have already confirmed that Xabi Alonso, who achieved an unbeaten domestic double with Bayer Leverkusen two seasons earlier, will take charge for the 2026-27 campaign, and Sanchez believes stability under Alonso can follow
a turbulent year that involved multiple coaching changes and disrupted momentum.
The current season began after Chelsea lifted both the Conference League and Club World Cup in 2025, but the club then dismissed Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, eventually placing Calum McFarlane in interim control as form dipped and consistency proved difficult to sustain across domestic competitions.
Sanchez underlined the emotional value of beating local rivals in Chelsea’s final home fixture and spoke about the response from the squad and supporters, stating: "We're very happy. I think it's good in front of the fans at home. It had been a long time coming," he told Sky Sports. "It's good to finish like this. We know if we get six points from the next two games and we've got three already we still have a chance to hopefully qualify. I'm very happy. I think they got a bit of luck with the goal. We just needed to keep it the same as the other 60 or 70 minutes. We did that and they didn't get any other chances. "
Tuesday’s success means Chelsea are now unbeaten in eight home London derbies in the Premier League, with six wins and two draws, their best such sequence at Stamford Bridge since the 13-match run recorded between 2013 and 2015, highlighting ongoing strength in high-pressure capital fixtures this season.
That result against Tottenham also ended a difficult league spell, as Chelsea had not claimed a Premier League win since the 4-1 success over Aston Villa in March, with the team enduring a seven-game stretch without victory that included six defeats and one draw before this derby turnaround.
Midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Andrey Santos supplied the goals that secured the three points for Chelsea, while Richarlison’s late strike for Tottenham created a tense finish but did not produce an equaliser, leaving the visitors’ comeback attempt short and increasing pressure near the bottom of the table.
Sanchez produced one of the match’s crucial moments at 0-0, when Mathys Tel appeared certain to score with a close-range header, only for the goalkeeper to push the effort onto the post, a save that kept Chelsea level before the hosts seized control later in the game.
Our home #PL record against Spurs makes for great reading! #CFC | #CHETOT pic.twitter.com/rOiyWNNju3Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 19, 2026
Despite that highlight, Sanchez dismissed personal praise for the save and focused instead on the wider team effort, saying: "It was a horrible save, I hated it. It hit the post, it hit my hand. The boys performed. A couple of changes from training, a couple of injuries. The boys were brilliant. We're very happy. "
Chelsea Premier League season challenges and future focus
Reflecting on a campaign marked by staff turnover and injuries, Sanchez admitted that Chelsea have struggled to maintain rhythm across the year, explaining: "There have been a lot of changes, a lot of ups and downs. It's been difficult for us to try to keep it consistent because of a lot of factors. But the boys, they do the best that they can. We are happy and looking forward to next season. "
The loss keeps Tottenham at risk of relegation on the final day, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side yet to secure safety, while Chelsea now head to Sunderland for their closing Premier League fixture knowing another win would strengthen the push to finish above Brighton in seventh and return to European competition.
