There are the obvious games that are categorised as bitter rivalries and they are not always necessarily derby games.
There are the obvious ones like Arsenal v Tottenham and Everton and Liverpool, then there is the big classic games like Real Madrid v Barcelona and Man Utd and Liverpool.
Also, the long distant rivalries, Arsenal v Man Utd and Chelsea v Liverpool spring to mind immediately, but the common thread among all these examples is that they involve the “top” teams.
It is not often that a team that is not historically a big team has a rivalry with one of the elites, but that is becoming the case with Leicester City and Chelsea.
Below are four simple examples why this is now happening.
1) Leicester City took the title off Chelsea
The Foxes became champions after Chelsea and while they were not directly responsible for the Blues losing their title, they still became the champions and the number one target for the West London side, they want the title back and it is from Leicester City that they fully intend to grab it.
2) Chelsea poached Kante
Fans do not like to see their best players sold and they generally despise the club that snagged their man and the purchase of N’Golo Kante is no different, the Leicester fans simply hate the fact that Chelsea used their financial muscle to strengthen their team at the expense of the Foxes.
3) Mourinho got sacked after losing to Leicester City
Chelsea lost 2-1 to Leicester and within a couple of days the Portuguese maestro was sacked for the second time by Roman Abramovich. The thing is this, at the time the Chelsea fans loved Mourinho, he was a club legend and they did not want him to go, but that is what a loss to Leicester can do.
4) Leicester are now a team to beat
Whatever way it is dressed up Leicester are now a team to beat, they are champions, they are in the champions league and they punish any complacency, bottom line is this, a win over them is a big thing now, it is no longer a given and that alone makes this game a rivalry