Tiemoue Bakayoko regards Tottenham as bigger rivals to Chelsea than Arsenal.
The Premier League champions welcome the Gunners to Stamford Bridge on Sunday having lost on their previous two clashes; last season's FA Cup Final and this campaign's curtain-raiser the Community Shield.
The two teams have battled for the title over the years, with Chelsea coming out on top over the previous decade, but Bakayoko does not feel the fixture has as much gravitas as games against fellow rivals Spurs.
Bakayoko, a summer arrival from Monaco, made his debut as Chelsea won 2-1 at Wembley in August and still holds the occasion higher than a visit of the Gunners.
"I think that actually in terms of rivalries that Chelsea have, the one with Tottenham is perhaps even bigger than Arsenal," he told the club's official website.
"Having already played that match, being able to win that match, being able to bring so much happiness to our fans was really a wonderful achievement for the team.
"Now we're looking forward to the match against Arsenal, which perhaps carries less of that rivalry, but it is nevertheless incredibly important and it's absolutely vital that we work hard to achieve the right result on the pitch."
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