Marc Cucurella gets tough review from Spanish media after eight games with Real Madrid
The Spanish media have shared their thoughts on Marc Cucurella after eight games with Real Madrid – and it’s been a bit tough reading.
Cucurella signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid after moving from Chelsea for £47.3 million in June, with an extra £4.3 million in add-ons.
As a World Cup winner, he seemed like the perfect fit for the left-back spot, thanks to his big experience. But after eight games, fans and critics are still unsure. He hasn’t scored or assisted yet and has been a bit inconsistent in defense.
The 28-year-old was in Jose Mourinho’s starting lineup for Sunday’s 2-1 loss to rivals Atletico Madrid, where he didn’t play his best. Cucurella was partly to blame for Jonathan David’s goal because he couldn’t stop Giuliano Simeone’s cross that led to it.
Spanish media were quick to criticize his performance after the match.
Sports Illustrated gave him a 6.8/10, saying: “A mixed game against Simeone. He needed help at times, but Vinícius Júnior didn’t show much interest. He was easily beaten by the Argentine before the second goal.”
Mundo Deportivo called his performance that of a “stranger” and added: “He was unrecognizable in the derby – weak in defense and not effective in attack.”
AS wrote: “Giuliano gave him a lot of trouble. Even for a player like Cucurella, used to tough battles, he finally cracked. He did okay in the first half, but after the break, he made mistakes. He was late on the play that led to the penalty, and Giuliano and Kang-In combined to get past him for the 2-0 goal. It just wasn’t his day, and unfortunately, it came at the worst time. That said, he was left alone to deal with a lot of pressure.”
Managing Madrid gave him a 6/10, saying: “He struggled at times, but the situation mattered. He was often facing multiple players alone, with little help from teammates. He led the match in tackles and had too much defending on his own.”
Former Real Madrid right-back Miguel Torres also shared his opinion on Movistar: “Real Madrid has no clear structure. Cucurella looks like a different player, even like a bad one, but that’s because of the lack of team structure.” He added, “There are no solid tactics. If Rodri were at Real Madrid, his weaknesses would show too.”
Real Madrid are currently fourth in La Liga, six points behind leaders Barcelona before the international break.
They’ll be back on the pitch at home against Villarreal on October 10.