Marc Cucurella is making headlines again, and not again for his hairdo. Chelsea’s fiery left-back sees red after claiming to see red after his team’s 2-1 win over Brentford. It’s his second suspension of the season; Cucurella has more cards than a poker deck, to say the least.
In the final moments of stoppage time, Cucurella hit Carvalho’s Brentford Fabio with an absolute crunching tackle. But tensions threatened to escalate still further post-match on Stamford Bridge’s pitch, with Cucurella involved in an angry exchange with Brentford striker Kevin Schade. Both players were shown yellow cards for what kids might describe as ‘aggressive attitudes,’ but since Cucurella was booked, he was given a second yellow and a red to leave. Jesus was given his penalty with 15 minutes left.
Why Was Marc Cucurella Sent Off?
The Premier League Match Centre took to X (formerly Twitter) to clear up the chaos: Cucurella was sent off with the second yellow for an aggressive attitude, the referee said. He was also booked for the same offense. ” A lesson in diplomacy? Not quite.
That double yellow dismissal rather than a straight red means Cucurella will only miss a single match. Enzo Maresca will miss Cucurella in Sunday’s clash with Everton, a significant loss for him, considering his Chelsea squad is already incredibly fragile.
A Troubling Season for Marc Cucurella
It’s also not Cucurella’s first brush with trouble this season. The Spaniard is racking up yellow cards at a toddler’s sticker-collecting rate. Only in his seventh Premier League match did he hit the five-yellow threshold, forcing himself into a timeout when Chelsea lost at Anfield to Liverpool last month.
Still, things hadn’t gotten much worse (or, depending on your stance on chaos, much better) for Cucurella, who boasts six bookings since, taking him to six. Premier League rules say he gets a two-match suspension if he gets to ten. As we aren’t even halfway through the season, the chances of that happening are better than Chelsea signing another midfielder next summer.
What Does This Mean for Chelsea?
Cucurella’s absence is an issue for Chelsea. His aggressive style is double-edged but vital to the Blues’ defensive methods. Absent from the starting lineup, it was a headache that Maresca would normally hire a new coach to take care of it, but he now finds himself having to reshuffle his lineup yet again.
For Cucurella, meanwhile, it was time to take a long, hard look in the mirror. They’re too expensive to smash, though, preferably not in one of those high-end Stamford Bridge locker rooms.
Author’s Take: Marc Cucurella’s Temper—A Blessing or a Curse?
I’ll always chuckle at the theatrics, as I am a football enthusiast. Cucurella’s commitment is unmistakable, but it feels like he’s trying to get in the running for a part in the telenovelas of football. But his aggressive style is also why he is effective on the pitch.
For me, Cucurella needs to find the balance between emotion and idealism. Football is a game with lots of emotion, but it’s also a game of strategy. A calmer, more consistent Cucurella—one that avoids one-match bans—is probably achievable. He needs to let the fires of his energy burn through precision aggression instead of letting them go out the moment they boil.
Final Thoughts
It’s yet another unnecessary focus on Marc Cucurella’s temperamental approach to matches after his second suspension. For Chelsea, the question remains: Can Cucurella’s cards keep piling up like Stamford Bridge’s summer signings? Can they afford to keep their firebrand defender under control?
One thing’s for sure: Cucurella on the pitch means drama for Chelsea fans—whether they want it or not.
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