Alonso confirms Kepa and Rudiger clash but says it is good for Chelsea

Marcos Alonso has insisted the training ground bust-up between Antonio Rudiger and Kepa Arrizabalaga is good for Chelsea.

One day after the loss to West Brom on Saturday, Chelsea’s first defeat under Thomas Tuchel, Rudiger and Kepa had to be pulled apart by team-mates .

Rudiger was sent from the training pitch to cool off by Tuchel, while the defender later apologised for his part in the spat.

What has been said?

Alonso confirmed the altercation took place, but feels it demonstrates hunger in the squad and believes it will be a positive for the Blues.

“These are things that happen,” Alonso told beIN SPORTS . “It shows the level of competition that is in the team, the hunger we show even on the training ground and it is good for the team.”

Issue now in the past

Alonso confirmed the pair put the spat behind them before leaving the training ground, and says it is almost certain that team-mates will clash again in the future.

"Even before training finished it was all good,” he said. “Nothing new, it has always happened. 

“It will happen again. We have to take the positive and move on and get ready for the next game.”

Up next for Chelsea

Defeat to West Brom dented Chelsea’s bid to secure a place in the top four in the Premier League, but their focus now shifts to the Champions League.

The Blues face Porto - conquerors of Juventus - in the first leg of their quarter-final on Wednesday.

Further reading

• Conceicao gunning for Chelsea and Juve win
• Pulisic: West Brom defeat testing Chelsea mentally
• Tuchel ‘too emotional’ to deliver post-match analysis