Chelsea’s controversial pre-match huddle in the centre circle got even funnier on Saturday, March 14, when referee Paul Tierney unexpectedly joined the Blues’ group ritual before their Premier League match against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Sky Sports Premier League quickly put the video online, adding a funny caption about how the players surrounded the referee before the game started.
Paul Tierney gets caught in the middle of the Chelsea huddle 😂❓ pic.twitter.com/fhCRunycBX
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2026
In January, before a Champions League match against Napoli, the huddle was first used. Since then, rival fans have booed it and opposing players have complained about it. Chelsea players all stand over the ball in the centre circle as part of the routine. This has already caused a lot of debate among Premier League fans, with many calling it performative and cringeworthy.
Liam Rosenior said that the idea didn’t come from him, but from the players themselves. After the game against Aston Villa, the Chelsea manager told reporters:
“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.”
This time, though, Tierney’s accidental entrapment in the huddle turned the divisive ritual into instant online comedy. There were a lot of jokes on social media about the referee getting tactical advice from the Blues.
Keith Hackett, the former head of the PGMOL, had already said that Chelsea could be punished if they continued to delay kick-offs with the huddle. He said that referees could write extraordinary incident reports. Steve McManaman, a former Liverpool winger, also spoke out against the tactic during commentary.
Chelsea Welcomed Newcastle to Stamford Bridge Amid Champions League Push
Chelsea play Newcastle on Saturday, hoping to recover from a bad 5-2 loss to PSG in the Champions League earlier in the week. Liam Rosenior’s team were back at Stamford Bridge after playing four games away from home in a row. The Blues were in fifth place in the table with 48 points, nine points ahead of Newcastle, who were in 12th place with 39 points.
Before the game, Chelsea got a boost when captain Reece James signed a new six-year deal. Jamie Gittens was also confirmed to be available, even though Estêvão Willian was still out with an injury. Newcastle, on the other hand, were still missing their star midfielder Bruno Guimarães because of a hamstring injury, along with Fabian Schär, Emil Krafth, and Lewis Miley.
Both teams had played in Europe before the game, but Newcastle had a slight edge because they had played their Champions League match a day earlier. Chelsea had to fly back from Paris on Thursday.