Aiman Khalid
Mar 14, 2026, 05:46 PM
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Chelsea players enter a huddle surrounding referee Paul Tierney. Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Chelsea surrounded the match referee during their pre-match huddle prior to kick-off on Saturday in an extraordinary scene at Stamford Bridge.
Before their Premier League clash against Newcastle kicked off, the Chelsea XI gathered around the centre-circle for their final words before the start of the game.
It is a practice that Liam Rosenior's Chelsea side have used before games in recent weeks.
But this time match referee Paul Tierney was standing on the centre-circle and subsequently very tight in the middle of Chelsea's huddle, holding the match ball.
It made for rather amusing but unprecedented scenes before kick-off as Chelsea's players were forced to talk to each other in the huddle across Tierney.
The incident made for some amusing shots for the camera operators at the Bridge. Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
The quirky new pre-match huddle has become a feature of Chelsea games but boss Rosenior has said that his players took it upon themselves to take to the centre-circle.
"No, it wasn't. The idea came from the players, and I really like it because they're showing unity and togetherness and spirit, and I think you need that," Rosenior said after his players did the same prior to a win against Aston Villa.
"Before anything, you start talking about tactics or systems, you need a group of players willing to run and fight for each other."