Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been speaking about what makes Marc Cucurella so different to other players.
Cucurella was Chelsea‘s match-winner over the weekend, hitting a fantastic strike in the 60th minute to give his side the lead and all three points.
After Cole Palmer missed his first penalty for Chelsea, Maresca really needed someone to step up. Cucurella did just that, answering his manager’s call by going for goal himself outside of the box.
Maresca has since discussed the defender and one of his best attributes, which he claims is not easy to find.
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
Enzo Maresca on Marc Cucurella’s intelligence
Cucurella thinks he can still improve in attack, but Maresca seems to be more than happy with his contribution in the final third right now.
The Chelsea manager has claimed that Cucurella is playing like an attacking midfielder and thinks the level of intelligence he is showing on the pitch is so tricky to find.
“Marc has something that is difficult to find,” Maresca was quoted as saying by Chelsea’s official website after the Leicester game. “He is clever and is intelligent. He scored two goals against Wolves and Brentford and he is probably the smallest one in the team. This shows you how intelligent he is because he is in the right position.
“He is playing like an attacking midfielder and is doing fantastic. He has scored four or five goals with us.”
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While he may be a defender, Cucurella’s goal did not surprise Jadon Sancho, who will be hoping to net himself in the coming fixtures.
The winger has not scored since Chelsea’s 4-3 win against Tottenham Hotspur all the way back in December.
The Blues’ next Premier League game is against Arsenal and a goal at the Emirates would undoubtedly make up for Sancho’s barren run if it helps the team to beat their London rivals.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Marc Cucurella one of Chelsea’s top scorers in the Premier League
Cucurella failed to score a single goal in the English top flight last season and it was the same story back in the 2022/23 campaign.
However, the 26-year-old has netted four times this term, making him one of the top scorers in Chelsea’s squad.
Rank Chelsea’s top scorers Goals
1. Cole Palmer 14
2. Nicolas Jackson 9
3. Noni Madueke 7
4. Marc Cucurella/Enzo Fernandez 4
It shows just how much of an attacking threat he has become. Going forward, Cucurella looks like a different player under Maresca.
Right now, the Spaniard is arguably the best full-back in the Premier League and has to be in with a shout of getting into the PFA Team of the Year.