As Chelsea begin to hint at being a club on their way to restoration with Antonio Conte at the helm, it's apt they come to blows with Middlesbrough this weekend. After all, when we think of the Blues' trophy success in the past 20 years, Middlesbrough is where it all began.
Before Roman Abramovich arrived, Chelsea were winning things, and Boro were helping them do it.
The parallels between Chelsea then and now are striking. In 1996/97 an Italian core had put Chelsea back on the map. With Roberto Di Matteo, Gianfranco Zola and Gianluca Vialli in their ranks, the Blues were reborn as a force in the English game.