Maddison explains how Spurs are getting motivated for the North London Derby
The biggest game of the season is upon us already, with the North London derby taking place this weekend. James Maddison has been discussing the fixture and what it means to the players and the fans.
The North London Derby
Spurs have struggled in recent years to get the better of their fierce rivals, with Arsenal winning the last two meetings at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Ange Postecoglou and his men will be desperate to put that right on Sunday afternoon, and put down a marker for the season by beating one of the top teams in the division.
It goes without saying that this game comes with huge importance for everyone connected to Tottenham, but James Maddison has been speaking about how he and the players prepare for such a fixture.
He told Optus Sport: “You don’t need to do too much. Just being around here, coming into work every day, living locally… the build-up for a North London derby is a little different to the other games. In the media, for the fans, social media, everything gets bigged up that little bit more for this one.
“We know what it means. Having played in my first two last year, I know what it means to our fans. And how, in this part of the world… bragging rights in the family, all that sort of stuff off the field for our fans… it may be just one game, just three points, but it’s what it means to our supporters to beat them. Hopefully, we can do that and send our fans home happy.”
The derby means everything
In a separate interview with Sky Sports Premier League, Maddison continued to stress the importance of the upcoming game.
He added: “You have to grasp how much these derbies mean, and it’s been made very clear to me since I joined this club, by fans, that this derby means a lot to them. People here, they’re divided within the family between Tottenham and Arsenal.
“It all starts with the build-up… my first experience of it last year at The Emirates, and all the interviews in the week leading up to it, and on gameday it just had that different feel to it. Arriving at the stadium, the tension in the air… it doesn’t need explaining, you can see it when you watch it.”
Spurs Web Opinion
We simply have to win this one on Sunday. We cannot let Arsenal keep getting the better of us, especially at our own ground. The tables have to turn, and it starts this weekend.
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