The Premier League have explained why Chelsea full-back Marc Cucurella was sent off after the final whistle following their 2-1 win over Brentford at Stamford Bridge
23:00, 15 Dec 2024Updated 23:01, 15 Dec 2024
Marc Cucurella
Marc Cucurella was sent off against Brentford(Image: Getty Images)
Chelsea ace Marc Cucurella was handed his marching orders after the final whistle during the Blues' 2-1 victory over Brentford.
The full-back got caught up in a heated exchange with Kevin Schade following the match's conclusion, earning himself a second booking and subsequent red card. The incident drew players from both sides into startling scenes at Stamford Bridge.
Just before the incident, Cucurella had been cautioned for a risky tackle on Fabio Carvalho. Explaining the red card, the Premier League stated: "The referee issued a second yellow card to Cucurella for adopting an aggressive attitude. Schade was also booked for the same offence."
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As a result of the sending off, Cucurella is set to miss Chelsea's upcoming game against Everton, reports the Mirror. Post-match, Chelsea boss Maresca opened up about the event, stating: "I didn't see the second yellow card. The referee said the second yellow card was for bad attitude. There are things we can do better."
On the other side, Brentford's Thomas Frank did not mince words regarding Cucurella's conduct. In his post-game press conference, he said: "I think Cucurella is a top player, he is doing well. But I don't like it when players go to the ground and holding their face [incident in stoppage time]. I will say to Cucurella because I respect him massively."
In a dramatic turn of events for Chelsea, Spanish defender Cucurella received his first red card shortly after scoring his first goal for the club, putting Chelsea in the lead. Nicolas Jackson compounded Brentford's woes with a goal ten minutes from time.
Marc Cucurella put Chelsea in front with a header.
Marc Cucurella put Chelsea in front with a header.
Bryan Mbeumo's late strike gave Brentford a glimmer of hope in stoppage time, but Chelsea clung on to win - marking their seventh consecutive triumph across all competitions.
The win keeps Maresca's men second in the Premier League standings, just two points shy of table-toppers Liverpool, albeit having played one more match than the Reds.
Cucurella has been caught up in controversy recently, not least when two errors on his part allowed Tottenham to take a 2-0 lead against Chelsea the previous weekend. The Blues did bounce back and won, yet Cucurella expressed his frustration by posting, then removing, a picture of his boots thrown into a bin on social media.
Marc Cucurella celebrates with Noni Madueke after putting Chelsea in front against Brentford.
Marc Cucurella celebrates with Noni Madueke after putting Chelsea in front against Brentford.
The red card also marks the second suspension for Cucurella this season, following a ban due to accumulating five yellow cards, which saw miss Chelsea's 2-1 loss to Liverpool in October.
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Despite the commotions post-match, goalscorer Jackson remained buoyant after their performance, remarking post-match: "Very big win. Not an easy game. They're a difficult side to play against. It was difficult because they always play set-pieces. But we won. I'm very happy. Listen to the manager, respect the plan and we did that. It was more difficult at the end because they wanted to score again.
"We're getting to know each other better. Last year is finished, now we're concentrating on this year. I missed that one but I was thinking I'll get another one and try to score to help the team win. I did exactly that. It's all about getting more experience. I'm getting more confident. We're just trying to win every game and focus on the next one. I don't look at the table."