Chelsea took on Wrexham in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday night with both sides currently on tour in the United States, but the game was marred by an early row.
Chelsea defender, Levi Colwell, and Wrexham forward, James McClean, had to be separated by officials, teammates, and coaches after a brawl broke out just two minutes into Wednesday's pre-season friendly.
The incident seemed to come out of nowhere, with Chelsea safely maintaining possession in their own half. However, as Coleville passed the ball to fellow defender Benoit Badiachel, McClain swooped in and immediately faced the Chelsea star.
Colville aggressively grabbed McClain's shirt by the collar and the pair began wrestling, refusing to let go until the players and coaches stepped in to break things up.
Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel
Neither player was penalized further for the incident, with the referee keeping his cards in his pocket as the game was friendly. It was an unexpected start to Chelsea's US tour, where they will face Celtic, Club America, Real Madrid and Manchester City.
It also marked a fiery start to Enzo Marisca's reign, his first official game in charge since leaving Leicester and replacing Mauricio Pochettino.
Since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhaney took over, Wrexham has seen a surge in popularity in North America, thanks to the hit documentaries 'Welcome to Wrexham', reports the Mirror.
The Welsh side have celebrated back-to-back promotions and will be playing in League One next season after just one spell in League Two. With a rapid rise through the leagues, Wrexham have brought in some experienced players to bolster their ranks, including McClean.
With 158 Premier League appearances during his time at Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, McClean joined Wrexham for a new challenge.
Colwell's reaction may have been over the top, but preseason games are typically less physical as players aim to avoid injuries before the start of the new season.
Coleville will be keen to cement their place in Mariska's plans ahead of their match against Manchester City on August 18.
However, physicality is a key element of McClain's game, especially when against stronger opponents. In his 158 appearances in the Premier League, McClean was fouled 155 times.
McClean also picked up 29 yellow cards and one red during his Premier League tenure and was sent off twice more. His experience will undoubtedly be an asset for Wrexham in League One, a division he won with Wigan in the 2022/23 season.
