Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso was forced to intervene and drag one of his coaches away from a confrontation after tensions boiled over during their pre-season clash with Johor Darul Ta’zim.
The Blues recently brought in Austin MacPhee from Aston Villa, and he was furious after watching Chelsea forward Liam Delap receive a dangerous challenge.
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Just past the hour mark, Johor defender Antonio Glauder caught Delap from behind with a forceful tackle.
Chelsea players were understandably unhappy with the incident, with centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo among those who confronted the situation. New set-piece coach MacPhee was equally incensed, prompting Alonso to restrain him following a confrontation with a member of the Johor coaching staff.
Delap, who had already scored twice from the penalty spot, managed to remain on the pitch. Glauder later turned the ball into his own net, helping Chelsea escape with a 3-3 draw.
“Shut the fuck up” – Austin MacPhee pic.twitter.com/HGJes1RhJT
— ✈️ (@Arrizabalager) August 9, 2026
The Blues will now return from their Far East tour, with Alonso’s team set to welcome Real Sociedad to Stamford Bridge on Saturday. That match will be their final preparation before the Premier League campaign begins with a trip to local rivals Fulham on August 24.
MacPhee was recruited from Aston Villa as Alonso continues to build his coaching team in west London. The Scot, instantly recognisable by his long blonde hair, had become a familiar presence alongside Unai Emery and played an important role behind the scenes during Villa’s recent progress.
Chelsea are preparing for yet another campaign under a new manager. The club’s owners have yet to keep a head coach in charge for longer than 18 months, although none of their previous appointments have possessed the reputation and achievements of Alonso.
The Spaniard takes charge after managing both Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. His time in the Spanish capital was brief, but it was far from disastrous, while his achievements in Germany have earned him widespread respect. During his time at Leverkusen, Alonso guided the club to the Bundesliga title, ending Bayern Munich’s long-standing dominance, and also secured the German Cup.
Chelsea will be hoping for a significant improvement after a disappointing campaign in which they ended up in mid-table and went through three different managers, with Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior and Calum McFarlane each taking charge at different stages.
