Chelsea's defender, Levi Colwill, and Wrexham's forward, James McClean, had to be separated by officials, teammates, and coaches after a brawl erupted just two minutes into Wednesday's pre-season friendly.

The incident appeared to come out of nowhere, with Chelsea safely maintaining possession in their own half. However, as Colwill passed the ball to fellow defender Benoît Badiashile, McClean lunged in and was immediately confronted by the Chelsea star.

Colwill aggressively grabbed McClean's shirt by the collar and the pair began to wrestle, refusing to let go until players and coaches rushed in to break things up.

Neither player received any further punishment for the incident, with the referee keeping his cards in his pocket due to the game being a friendly. It was an unexpected start to Chelsea's US tour, where they are set to face Celtic, Club América, Real Madrid, and Manchester City.

It also marked a fiery start to Enzo Maresca's reign, in what was his first official game in charge since leaving Leicester and replacing Mauricio Pochettino.

Since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over, Wrexham have seen a surge in popularity in North America, thanks to the hit docuseries Welcome to Wrexham, reports the Mirror.

The Welsh team have celebrated consecutive promotions and will be playing in League One next season after just one term in League Two. With their rapid ascent through the leagues, Wrexham have brought on some seasoned players to bolster their ranks, including McClean.

With 158 Premier League appearances under his belt during his time at Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, McClean joined Wrexham for a fresh challenge.

Colwill's reaction may have been over the top, but pre-season games are typically less physical as players aim to steer clear of injuries before the new season kicks off.

Colwill will be keen to cement his place in Maresca's plans ahead of their match against Manchester City on 18 August.

However, physicality is a key element of McClean's game, particularly when up against stronger opponents. Of the 158 Premier League appearances he made, McClean was penalised for fouls 155 times.

McClean also racked up 29 yellow cards and one red during his Premier League tenure, and has been sent off twice more. His experience will undoubtedly be an asset to Wrexham in League One, a division he won with Wigan in the 2022/23 season.