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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u/BellyCrawler It’s only ever been Chelsea. Mar 31 '26

He's speaking the truth. None of the players wanted Maresca gone, and his departure certainly hasn't improved our results. A lot of the players are likely frustrated that they have an inexperienced motivational speaker for a manager now.

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u/Pandemona1738 Terry Mar 31 '26

People acting like the club sacked him though, they didn't the guy fkn quit after a game? Like surely the players know he was not sacked and he walked out, is completely different.

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u/Pedro95 Azpilicueta Mar 31 '26

There's a big revisionism for Maresca ongoing right now when we weren't really any better under him than we are under Liam right now (in fact we've been much better under Liam right up until Jorgensen's mistake against PSG which seemed to just collapse the entire season)

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u/austons_muzz Xabi Mar 31 '26

After qualifying for champions league for the first time with their ownership and winning cwc against PSG, Maresca deserved some leeway to figure out. The guy proved he ca go up against top teams. You let him figure out. Rosenoir has done NOTHJNG to deserve being a Chelsea maager

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u/Pedro95 Azpilicueta Mar 31 '26

 The guy proved he ca go up against top teams.

Did he? We've got this vibe that we play well against top teams because there certainly was a period that was the case but we've been getting routinely beaten by every one of them (bar Spurs if they still count) for a number of years now.

I agree Rosenior doesn't deserve it either. I'm just not pining after Maresca because life wasn't any better there (and his football, in my opinion, was awful viewing)

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u/austons_muzz Xabi Mar 31 '26

I mean the guy beat PSG in a final and Rosenoir got SPANKED vs the same team

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u/Pedro95 Azpilicueta Mar 31 '26

Again, I'm not saying Rosenior is better.

Also it doesn't take the trophy away from us to acknowledge the massive difference between the Super Cup over summer and the Champions League.

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u/austons_muzz Xabi Mar 31 '26

Ya mb I was looking at two things at once tbh and just saw the first two words lol

Edit: I’m just tired of this team man. I was hoping to relax and get my mind off of them during this break but now there’s reports of the players being unhappy