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Alonso steps in as new Chelsea set-piece coach in heated clash with rival
Aug 09 2026 22:48 · By Samuel Meade,Sports Brand Writer · 24 Reads
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso was forced to step in and pull one of his coaches away from a brawl as tempers flared during their pre-season friendly with Johor Darul Ta'zim.
The Blues have just hired Austin MacPhee from Aston Villa and he reacted angrily after seeing Chelsea striker Liam Delap on the receiving end of a nasty challenge. With just over an hour on the clock, defender Antonio Glauder went through the back of Delap with a strong tackle.
His Chelsea team-mates were left fuming with the challenge as centre-half Tosin Adarabioyo lead the response. The Blues’ new set piece coach MacPhee was also raging, which saw Alonso having to hold him back after a clash with one of the Johor coaching staff
Delap, who had converted two penalties during the match, was able to continue and Glauder went on to score a late own goal which allowed Chelsea to secure a 3-3 draw.
The Blues will now head home from their Far East tour with Alonso's side playing Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on Saturday ahead of their Premier League opener, which sees them head to neighbours Fulham on August 24.
MacPhee has been bought in from Aston Villa as Alonso assembles his own staff in west London. MacPhee and his long blonde locks had become a fixture alongside Unai Emery and he was crucial behind the scenes as the Midlands side enjoyed their recent success.
Chelsea are embarking on another season which has them being led by a new manager. The club's owners have not yet stuck with a manager for more than 18 months but none of their hires have had the pedigree of Alonso.
The Spaniard arrives having led Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. His spell in Spain was short lived but by no means a disaster and his work in Germany sees him held in high regard. With Leverkusen he won the Bundesliga, ending Bayern Munich's dominance, and also claimed the German Cup.
Chelsea are looking to bounce back from a dire campaign that saw them finish in mid-table and go through three managers as Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior and Calum McFarlane all had spells leading the team.
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