Ex-Liverpool teammates clash on the field. AGAIN, as players clash on the field

Two former Liverpool players got into an on-pitch brawl over the weekend as one got the better of the other during a junior match in Spain. Alvaro Arbeloa and Fernando Torres spent two years at Anfield together under Rafa Benitez, including a second-place finish in 2008/09 after pushing Manchester United all the way.

Both have moved into academy management since retiring, with Arbeloa currently coaching Real Madrid’s junior team and Torres doing the same for Atletico Madrid. Torres threatened his former teammate by shouting, “I’ll blow your head off!” during an argument at the youngsters’ Madrid derby between their respective previous clubs back in May.

Those hostilities appear to have not totally faded, with the two once again colliding to produce nasty scenes in a traditionally contentious fixture. Torres’ team won 2-1, and Arbeloa chose to leave the field immediately after the final whistle, refusing to shake his fellow countryman’s hand.

A brawl ensued on the field, with Real Madrid players appearing to take issue with the style of some of their opponents’ celebrations. While only at the youth level, there is plenty of animosity between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, and that rivalry boiled out in the training area on Sunday.

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres and Alvaro Arbeloa during a Premiership encounter at Anfield on Saturday, March 8, 2008. (Image courtesy of David Rawcliffe/Propaganda) Arbeloa resigned from football in 2017 following a brief stint with West Ham, and he has been in charge of Real Madrid’s youth teams since 2020.

Torres ended his playing career in 2019 and returned to the club where he spent two seasons to begin his coaching career. Despite their shared allegiances to club and nation, it appears that there is no love lost between the two since taking a step into management, no matter what level!