Tempers flare as two Chelsea stars square up in fight at training ground

Tempers flare as two Chelsea stars square up in fight at the Premier League club’s training ground before having to be separated.

Blues defender Antonio Rudiger and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had to be pulled apart after having a coming together which started with the pair pushing each other in training.

Thomas Tuchel ended up having to dismiss the German player from training early following their Easter Sunday session ready for their Champions League meeting with Porto in midweek.

Report revealed that the argument was started in a small-sided game, in which defender Rudiger went in late on Kepa.

Chelsea’s record signing reacted badly and the heated argument quickly escalated into pushing and shoving between the pair.

Team-mates are said to have had to intervene to pull the two players apart before shoving turned into punching, with Tuchel deciding that Rudiger should not take part in the final five minutes of training.

Kepa ended up completing the session in full while Rudiger was sent inside to cool down before having a good talking to about his actions.

Defender Rudiger then apologised to the Spaniard later on – while both Tuchel and the club are understood consider the matter now closed.

The report also claims that Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta were involved in an argument after the shock 5-2 defeat to West Brom on Saturday, and the pair have since spoke and settled their differences.

Tuchel had dragged his side into training following the end of his unbeaten run in that stunning defeat at Stamford Bridge during the Easter weekend.

The former Paris Saint-Germain manager had previously warned his players not to ‘lose their heads’ following the match, seems that’s exactly what they went and done as two Chelsea stars square up in fight at training ground.

He said: “We cannot lose our heads now and take away the trust we have in these players.

“It was the moment after the game to be honest, be calm and to tell everybody to breathe.

“This will be a hard evening for everybody.

“We had completely different plans how to start this match day so we have to accept it now, it’s our first loss together.

“It’s important to find a way to deal with it together.”

It comes just a month after Steve Bruce and Matt Ritchie came to blows in a training ground bust-up as details emerge at Newcastle United.

There were claims that the manager and his player were involved in a confrontation with the Newcastle boss physically barging into him after being called a ‘coward’.

Bruce’s position is still under threat, with several players no longer trusting the manager, especially after he publicly blamed them for picking up a 1-1 draw with Wolves which at the time left the Magpies three points above the drop zone in the Premier League table – something that remains on the 5th of April.

Ritchie was left furious when Bruce, during his post-match interview, accused him of not passing on tactical instructions to the team with confusion before Wolves’ equalising goal.

The Daily Mail report how he phoned Steve Bruce after the game and wanted to have it out there and then, though Bruce wanted to speak to the 31-year-old at training on Tuesday… so that in it self was enough to irritate Matt Ritchie further.

After sleeping on it, the feelings seemed to have remained as assistant boss Steve Agnew made his way onto the training pitch to tell Ritchie that Bruce was ready to see him in his office, though the player refused and said he was not speaking to the ‘coward’ again.

After hearing what was said, he stormed out to confront Ritchie.

The Daily Mail were told Steve Bruce was ‘shoulder-barging’ into Ritchie but the player chose not retaliate physically. The 60-year-old was allegedly infuriated by Matt Ritchie calling him a ‘coward’ and said to him: ‘After all I’ve done for you.’

Sources say Ritchie, who was given a new contract in 2020, replied by saying: ‘You’ve done f*** all for me,’ before telling Bruce he was a ‘coward’ and that he was ‘done’ with him.

Bruce is then understood to have said: ‘What are you going to do? Tell Lee Charnley?’

Assumed to be in reference to Bruce’s suspicion that players have reported their unhappiness to the managing director with Charnley then appearing at the training ground.

After watching on, teammates are reportedly siding with Ritchie and that there is a growing feeling of resentment towards Bruce in the dressing room which could see them lose fight and sent back down to the Championship.

One source said: ‘There has long been an inquest into who has been leaking stories from the training ground and the manager has stood back and watched players and staff accuse each other, yet he is the biggest leak of all. Most of the players do not trust him and do not like him.’

Fans reacted as two Chelsea stars square up in fight at training ground…

@willreyner: Never boring at Chelsea. Hope this one loss doesn’t mean the players are losing their heads. Exactly what we don’t need.

@thfcmo_: Tuchel has lost the dressing room after one month dkm

@ftblseb: Even if this is true, what is the problem? We need these type of emotions after being destroyed 5-2 by a championship level side.

@RealTomHoskins: Can’t actually believe we are considering giving him a new contract. Get him on that transfer list!

@Debarrister21: I love Rudiger. Put that kid in his place.

@Stevo4Cesc: Starting to crack up…

@MasindeValour: My team 😭😭😭😭

@_ChrispyW: Lmaooo never boring at the chels

@viresh_gosain: Would not be surprised to hear about tuchel losing the dressing room in a few days.

@fznnscrzz: hope rudi sparked his jaw

@SJftbI: We’re such a weird team filled with weird individuals

@Dave_C90: Captain bellend strikes again. Fucking bin him @ChelseaFC

@cairo17i: What a guy rudiger is

@Shaquillejt: Rudiger my hero

@billahibarkley: James as welll. Send azpi and kepa’s asses back to Spain

@ZidGeezer: Bust-up with the wrong player unfortunately

@_LiamWaiton: Hopefully he flattened him

@HazardPlan: my CB #KepaOut

@Hugh__Beasley: Rudiger again….. there’s a surprise!

@MazSW6: The circus continues

@jamievilliers: Falling apart already. Unreal

@HazardIsMagic: Not again