rewrite this title Chelsea confirm arrival of former Villa set-piece coach MacPhee

Chelsea have confirmed set-piece coach Austin MacPhee has joined Xabi Alonso’s backroom staff after leaving Aston Villa.

MacPhee, who also worked with Roberto Martinez as part of the Portugal setup at this year’s World Cup, spent almost five years with Villa before departing last month.

He joined Villa – initially under Dean Smith – in 2021, before serving in the same role under Steven Gerrard and Unai Emery, becoming renowned for his inventive dead-ball routines under the latter.

As Villa finished fourth in the Premier League last season, they scored 18 goals from set-pieces excluding penalties – only Arsenal (23), Tottenham and Manchester United (19) netted more.

Villa scored 32.14% of their goals from dead balls in 2025-26, with only Spurs (39.58%), Leeds United (32.65%) and Arsenal (32.39%) recording a higher such figure.

Villa also won the Europa League, and their nine set-piece goals were the most in that competition. 

Chelsea posted a photo of Alonso with his full backroom staff on social media on Tuesday, with MacPhee and Calum McFarlane – who had two spells as interim head coach last season – being the two standout names.

Chelsea continue their pre-season preparations by facing Juventus on Wednesday, with their other remaining friendlies being against AC Milan and Johor Darul Ta’zim.