Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter has said Marc Cucurella had to endure a lot of hostility when he was just starting out at the club. Cucurella has since turned things around, becoming one of the most impactful players in the squad.
Under Potter, Chelsea paid a mammoth €65 million ($67 million) fee to sign Cucurella from Brighton & Hove Albion. Being a big-ticket signing, there was added pressure on the Spaniard to deliver, and, initially, he failed to live up to expectations.
Graham Potter Delighted With Marc Cucurella’s Success
According to Potter, the Stamford Bridge faithful turned on Cucurella, turning the work environment rather hostile.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the former Blues coach said:
“Delighted for Marc Cucurella, because he’s had a tough start to his career here at Chelsea. He came in with maybe a high fee, and at a time when the team wasn’t functioning as well as maybe what he was used to. He had to take some stick here at Stamford Bridge, it was quite hostile.
“There was a period of time where he was almost trying to think: if the results aren’t going so well, you want to do as much as you can to have the crowd with you. But it was obvious there was a real dislike for Marc here. So it goes into your thinking about whether to put him in.”
He added:
“I remember playing him against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, I think he was man of the match. It’s a credit to him, he’s got the character. You’re not going to get a better person in terms of how he is with teammates and how good he is around the place, and how he fights every single day. That performance against Saka requires intensity and commitment every single day, and he’s been rewarded for that.”
Cucurella was an integral part of Luis de la Fuente’s Spain as they won the 2024 European Championship over the summer. He has also become one of the first names on Enzo Maresca‘s teamsheet for the Blues, and is doing his best to justify his selection. So far, Cucurella has played 10 Premier League games for the West London outfit, helping them to two clean sheets and five wins.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
