Former Arsenal star Matteo Guendouzi was at the heart of a pre-season fight with Real Betis icon Joaquin.
The French midfielder completed a permanent move to the Stade Velodrome this summer following a successful loan spell with the Ligue 1 outfit. Les Olympiens sealed his signature for what was a bargain £9million fee. Guendouzi has recently been taking part in his first pre-season as a full-time Marseille player but all did not go to plan in their recent clash against Spanish side Real Betis.
The game took place at Chesterfield's Technique Stadium on Wednesday evening, and there was a flashpoint between the two sides with Guendouzi involved. With the scores locked at 1-1 following goals from Arkadiusz Milik and Rodri, Joaquin approached the ex-Gunner in the final moments of the match after taking exception to a few heavy challenges.
The Frenchman retaliated with members from both teams - including those on the bench - eventually getting involved to break up the scuffle. The referee ended up having to separate the two parties with the final whistle then bringing the game to an end in a stalemate.
Marseille have one more pre-season clash to navigate before they get their new season underway. They take on AC Milan on Sunday before opening their Ligue 1 campaign against Reims.
Guendouzi will of course be hoping to play a key role in the proceedings next season once more. The 23-year-old made 54 appearances for the club last season, scoring five goals and notching a further 14 assists as Marseille finished second behind eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.
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They have of course already lost a key player this summer with former loanee William Saliba returning to Arsenal. Guendouzi previously claimed that he would be attempting to convince his former teammate and compatriot to return to Marseille.
Speaking to TF1, Guendouzi said: "William now has Marseille in his heart and I am sure that he will come back to Marseille next season. So I am going to try to push again for him to stay with us."
Mikel Arteta has since intervened with Saliba being handed a few opportunities to impress during Arsenal's pre-season schedule. Rumours have also suggested that he could be in line for a new contract at the Emirates Stadium with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2024.
Speaking about the Frenchman's displays in pre-season, the Arsenal boss said: "I am really pleased to see the way he is playing, the way he has adapted to the team, the maturity that he's shown at 21 years old, carry on doing it.
"We will keep developing him, he has huge potential, he is already a top player and we have to make him even better."
