Chelsea latest: Hostile reaction 'won't faze' Blues star as Moises Caicedo faces rejection

It's been a fruitful week for Chelsea as they head into a key clash against Arsenal this weekend

Chelsea are in a strong position for their London derby against Arsenal, following an impressive 3-0 triumph over Barcelona.

The Blues celebrated their most significant Champions League victory of the season on Tuesday, easily overcoming the Spanish titans. This win at Stamford Bridge comes on the back of a solid performance from Enzo Maresca's squad, who climbed to second place in the Premier League after a 2-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor last weekend.

After a shaky start with only two wins in their first six league matches, Chelsea have bounced back with five victories in their subsequent six games, positioning themselves as the main contenders to Mikel Arteta's team, despite a six-point gap.

Next up for Maresca's side is a clash with the Gunners, which will serve as a benchmark for Chelsea's title aspirations. Ahead of this thrilling encounter in west London, we delve into the latest news from the Blues' camp.

Caicedo confession

The upcoming Sunday match could well be decided by the midfield duel between Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice. Both players are key to their respective teams and are considered among the top midfielders in the Premier League and Europe.

Despite both costing their clubs over £100million in the 2023 summer transfer window, Rice has dismissed comparisons about their playing styles. Following Arsenal's 3-1 triumph over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, the England midfielder revealed to CBS Sports: "First and foremost, I have a lot of respect for Moises. I have played against him since the Brighton days, since I was at West Ham.

"I voted him last year in my PFA TOTY, I thought he was outstanding last year, and he has started this year incredibly well. There's so much comparison, but we are playing different positions - he's a full-blown six and I am more of a box-to-box eight."

Looking ahead to Sunday's encounter, Rice continued: "Sunday is going to be an interesting game, but the most important thing is I have a lot of respect for him as a player, like Roy [Keane] and Patrick [Vieira] did. It's an exciting battle between us, and it's one I'll be ready for, for sure."

Madueke's return

The transfer pipeline linking Chelsea and Arsenal has proved particularly busy in recent seasons, with Noni Madueke becoming the most recent player to cross London. The England winger returned to action on Wednesday following a lengthy injury absence and found the net for his maiden goal in Arsenal colours during their victory over the German giants.

The 23-year-old enjoyed a two-and-a-half-year spell at Chelsea, recording 20 strikes across 92 appearances, and could feature against his previous employers on his debut visit to Stamford Bridge since departing last summer.

Acknowledging the potential for a "hostile" reception upon his return, Madueke shifted the focus to Arsenal's aim of extending their lead at the top of the table. He stated: "For me, it is another game, honestly. The fixture is not about me. The fixture is about Arsenal getting another three points in the league and being closer to our objective.

"That is honestly how I think about it. It might be a little bit hostile, it might not be, but I am a professional footballer. I have played in loads of atmospheres. I don't know if anything will faze me. I will just be focused on the task."