'And then we squared up with each other': Obi Mikel recalls crazy bust-up in training with ex-Chelsea star

 

John Obi Mikel recently confirmed long-standing rumours of a bust-up between him and Florent Malouda during their time playing for Chelsea in the Premier League. Mikel, part of the Blues for 11 years from 2006 to 2017, overlapped with Malouda's tenure at Stamford Bridge from 2007 to 2013.

Despite their success together and current friendship in retirement, their days sharing the dressing room reportedly weren't all smooth sailing.

Media fueled rumours about a fallout between them, and both players have now confirmed it to be true on The Obi One Podcast. However, they've clarified that the reality was more playful than the serious tone the news took back then.

"Me and him had a crazy one once in training," Mikel said, with Malouda laughing in the background.

"We squared up to each other and then we had to get people to pull us away from each other. I think we were playing rondo, we were playing rondo and then it happened."

"But it was just back then obviously competition, everybody’s competing against each other. We want to be on the pitch, he wants to play, I want to play. In training, we give our all because that is where we determine who plays on the weekend."

"So Flo wants to play, I want to play, competition, and it happens, it happens. And then we squared up with each other, few blows here and there!"

Mikel Obi's story made waves on social media, sparking responses from Chelsea legends like Michael Essien and John Terry.

They reacted with laughing emojis and Essien added: "I still remember this story." This incident's been cleared up, reassuring fans that their beloved players didn't have any bad blood between them.