Marc Cucurella has gone from being booed by his personal followers to being booed by these of different Premier League groups.
The 26-year-old has gained over most Chelsea supporters, however it hasn’t been straightforward for a participant who suffered damage and had off-field points after shifting from Brighton to Stamford Bridge for £62m three years in the past.
When requested about his journey from unpopular signing to fan favorite, Cucurella stated: “It is vitally good as a result of once I arrived at this membership it was troublesome and at first we had a whole lot of modifications. The outcomes had been troublesome.
“I am not a participant that has the standard to take the ball and alter the sport in a single motion and go previous three gamers. I am extra of a participant that should have the staff enjoying nicely to point out my qualities.
“So at the start it was very powerful as a result of the staff did not have possibly id or did not have a transparent approach to play. I struggled a little bit after which I understood that the membership paid some huge cash for me so that they anticipate that I am a machine and I rating each recreation!
“The primary video games [at Chelsea] I do not really feel like I loved. Once I win, it is crucial, however if you be a part of right here, it is like, ‘you win, OK, it is your job’ and you do not rejoice – however that is as a result of I had performed for smaller golf equipment.”
Cucurella revealed extra about his household life in Prime Video docuseries Married to the Recreation. In a single scene, the Spain worldwide is moved to tears, seated alongside his companion Claudia, whereas detailing how coping with his son Mateo’s autism was initially difficult earlier than his household started to thrive once more.
“All of the individuals assume that you’ve got an ideal life, however we footballers have regular lives and regular issues that every one individuals have,” he stated.
Of the present, he added: “Personally, I did not anticipate that folks would find it irresistible on this manner.
“I used to be not nervous however, if issues do not go nicely, individuals may say, ‘He is not targeted on soccer, he is targeted on filming this and that’. However it was good.”
Cucurella is over his struggles now. He says an damage in December 2023 helped him take inventory, including: “I began to take pleasure in my journey right here after my damage. Once I was injured, I used to be three months out, after which I had a whole lot of time to consider myself and to know me higher and what’s good for me and what I wanted to work on extra. That is in all probability the second that modified my profession.
“I gained the final six video games with Chelsea [under Mauricio Pochettino], gained the Euros and now I’m enjoying my finest soccer.”
He’ll hope his kind continues when Chelsea face Paris St-Germain within the Membership World Cup last in New Jersey on Sunday (20:00 BST).
“If we do it, it is superb as a result of it is the primary membership to do it,” he stated.
“We’ll get to put on a world champion badge on our shirt for 4 years and all individuals will bear in mind us as the primary membership to win the trophy [in its new format].”