Marcos Alonso insists Chelsea bust-up between Kepa Arrizabalaga and Antonio Rudiger is ‘nothing new’ and ‘good for the team’

Marcos Alonso insists the bust-up between Chelsea teammates Kepa Arrizabalaga and Antonio Rudiger is ‘nothing new’.

Tensions appeared to be running high after the Blues’ shock 5-2 home defeat to relegation-threatened West Brom on Saturday.

In a training session the day after, Kepa confronted Rudiger when he was on the receiving end of a late tackle from the Germany defender, who was sent home early to calm down.

And Blues left-back Alonso has played down the effects of the scuffle ahead of his side’s crucial Champions League quarter-final first leg clash with Porto on Wednesday.

He told beIN SPORTS: “These are things that happen. It shows there is a level of competition in the team, the hunger.

“We saw it on the training [ground] and it’s good for the team. Even before training finished, it was all good.

“It’s nothing new. It’s always happened. It will still happen.

“The thing we need to take is the positives and move on and get ready for the next game.”

Chelsea have Tottenham, Liverpool, West Ham and Everton breathing down their necks for a top four spot.

And Spurs missed the chance to leapfrog the Blues into fourth place as they were held to a 2-2 draw by struggling Newcastle on Sunday.

Former Aston Villa and England forward Gabby Agbonlahor says training ground bust-ups between teammates were a weekly occurrence during his playing days.

He told talkSPORT: “Once or twice a week, it’s normal. Especially every Sunday.

“When players aren’t in the starting line-up on a Saturday, normally you train on a Sunday and no one’s happy. No one’s happy to be in on a Sunday, no one’s happy that they’re not playing.

“Sometimes players are going to be angry, shoving each other and it happens a lot.”