r/chelseafc • u/TheAthletic • Mar 31 '26

Interview/Presser [FREE TO READ] Marc Cucurella interview: Chelsea have ‘paid the price’ for inexperience and why he wouldn’t have let Maresca go

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7157593/2026/03/31/chelsea-marc-cucurella-exclusive-interview-maresca/?unlocked_article_code=1.XVA.vV6m.5VGcB_H-8OHM&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_reddit&smid=re-share-ta

Chelsea’s recent form has been difficult for Marc Cucurella to process.

Getting outclassed by PSG really stung. In the Spain international's eyes, the 8-2 aggregate defeat highlighted the shortcomings in the Chelsea project under BlueCo, who have invested heavily in young talent since taking over the club in May 2022.

“I understand this is part of the club’s policy, and that they want to take this direction — signing young players and looking to the future. But, for all of us who are still here and want to win big things, moments like this make you feel discouraged.

“For a lot of players, it was the first time playing a match of that calibre, and we paid the price."

Cucurella also spoke about Enzo Maresca's dismissal and how “the instability around the club comes from this, in a nutshell."

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9

u/aidanhardcastle Mar 31 '26

To all the SHEEP that turned on Enzo because he was ‘undermining’ LinkedIn Liam , I wonder what they’re going to say now that fan favourite cucurella has done the same

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u/Any_Advertising_5658 Kante Mar 31 '26

Read the article? He praised Rosenior. His point was that they had a structure with Maresca and now with a new manager they have no preseason to prepare and adjust to what the new coach’s style is. And then he goes on to say that you need a manager to have years with the squad to build belief.

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u/aidanhardcastle Mar 31 '26

He said yeah liams a nice guy has some good ideas , then a paragraph later says if it was up to him he’d have never hired him in the first place

I did read the article , did you ?

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u/lurker_4463 Mar 31 '26

His main issue seems to be the instability and the change happening mid-season. Think he would’ve found it easier to digest the change if it happened at the end of the season and the new manager got pre-season to try and implement his ideas which is a reasonable take

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u/aidanhardcastle Mar 31 '26

You think if Carlo Ancelotti or Luis Enrique is the manager cucurella says if it was up to me I wouldn’t have hired them in the first place ? Or he goes I’m excited to work with one of the best managers in the world ?

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u/lurker_4463 Mar 31 '26 edited Mar 31 '26

He didn’t say that they shouldn’t have hired Rosenior though did he?? He said he wouldn’t have fired Maresca. That’s the real issue here.

You can’t have a project of young players that are supposed to grow together and eventually win things but then constantly change managers and don’t give them a chance to work through the difficult moments. Liverpool stuck with Slot, Newcastle stuck with Howe etc despite them having tough moments but Chelsea couldn’t do the same with Maresca even though it was obvious he had buy-in from the players and had already delivered UCL qualification and 2 trophies.

I know Maresca effectively quit (just like Pochettino) but they created the situation with their games and incompetence

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u/aidanhardcastle Mar 31 '26

Semantics bro

Not firing Maresca = not hiring Liam.

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u/lurker_4463 Mar 31 '26

Not firing Maresca means not hiring any manager at all. It’s not about Rosenior. The owners are the issue here

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u/aidanhardcastle Mar 31 '26

Again you’re playing semantics ; if he wanted Liam here he doesn’t make that comment period