By Martin Graham | twelfth Oct 2024
Marc Cucurella, the Spanish left-back signed by Chelsea for a major £62m in 2022, has opened up a few pivotal second in his profession that helped him rework his fortunes at Stamford Bridge. After a difficult begin marked by criticism and inconsistency, Cucurella attributes his resurgence to a interval of introspection throughout an ankle damage that sidelined him for 3 months final season.
Reflecting on this era in an interview with The Guardian, Cucurella acknowledged the sudden constructive affect of his damage, stating, “If I needed to title a second that modified my profession – and it’s bizarre as a result of it’s an damage and nobody needs to be injured – it’s the ankle damage final season.” He described how the enforced break gave him invaluable time for reflection and psychological restoration, throughout which he sought steering from a psychological coach to regain confidence and readability.
“The criticism is difficult, you’re taking it personally,” Cucurella admitted. “As soon as the sport is over, it’s over. It will get in your head extra and also you lose confidence.” Nevertheless, the enforced break allowed him to reset mentally, resulting in a newfound resilience and self-awareness. “I’ve reached some extent the place it doesn’t matter. It’s not straightforward to get there; I’ve labored at it,” he added.
Off-field challenges: adapting to Chelsea
Past the damage, Cucurella additionally highlighted the off-field challenges he confronted upon becoming a member of Chelsea, which added to his preliminary struggles on the pitch. “After I went to Chelsea all of it occurred to me,” he recounted, citing extended resort stays, private safety issues after a housebreaking incident, and well being points that affected his early performances.
In the course of the World Cup, his household skilled a housebreaking whereas in Brazil, which deeply affected them. “My spouse went into the bed room and located them. It wasn’t good; we went again to a resort as a result of we had been scared,” he recalled. These off-field incidents, mixed with well being setbacks that landed him within the hospital, examined his resolve and talent to carry out below stress.
“I had been at humbler groups earlier than Chelsea and I received there at a time of change, a tough time, with plenty of gamers, plenty of coaches,” Cucurella mirrored on the challenges of adapting to a high-profile membership. Regardless of the preliminary difficulties, he emphasised the significance of those experiences in shaping his resilience and adaptableness as knowledgeable footballer.
Managerial modifications and adaptation
Cucurella additionally mentioned the frequent managerial modifications at Chelsea, which additional sophisticated his adjustment to the membership. “I’ve had extra coaches at Chelsea than in my profession,” he famous, itemizing Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, Mauricio Pochettino, and Enzo Maresca amongst these he’s labored below. Every managerial transition introduced its personal set of challenges and changes, impacting his taking part in model and position throughout the workforce.
“Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, Mauricio Pochettino, now Enzo,” he recounted. “I wasn’t with Tuchel for lengthy; we may hardly get to know one another.” The speedy turnover of managers required Cucurella to repeatedly adapt to new techniques and expectations, including one other layer of complexity to his early profession at Chelsea.
Regardless of the turbulent begin, Cucurella’s perseverance and resilience have shone by, culminating in his sturdy performances for Spain throughout Euro 2024 and a promising begin to the present season below new supervisor Enzo Maresca. His journey serves as a testomony to the challenges confronted by trendy footballers and the resilience required to beat them.
Martin Graham is an MFF sports activities author
