Spain are set to face France in the Nations League semi-finals in Stuttgart – the very city where Marc Cucurella became a lightning rod for controversy during Euro 2024.
In that quarter-final clash against Germany, the Chelsea full-back was involved in a contentious handball incident in the area that went unpunished, prompting widespread jeers from home fans – a reaction he expects to encounter once more. But this time, he insists, he’s fully prepared.
Cucurella returns to the Stuttgart Arena, the scene of a now-infamous moment that saw him escape a penalty decision for handball, which later led to consistent boos in every subsequent match from German supporters
Speaking ahead of Spain’s Nations League encounter with France, he admitted he’s braced for more of the same. “The memories from Stuttgart are all positive because we won the title, which was the ultimate goal,” he said at a press conference at Spain’s training base.
“I’m ready. I think they’ll boo me again – it’s part of football. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just a story now, and it doesn’t affect me. If the spotlight being on me helps take the pressure off my teammates, then so be it.”
“The first time it happens, it hits you hard because you don’t expect it,” he added. “It’s not easy to deal with, but it’s happened a few times now, and I’m going into this game prepared. It won’t be anything new, and I’m focused on what I can control – what happens on the pitch. The rest is just background noise.”
The Chelsea man also underlined the importance of the Nations League and Spain’s ambition to retain the trophy they lifted in 2023. “No competition is insignificant,” he insisted. “If we’re here, it’s because we want to win it. We’re not giving up days of our holidays to just stroll around. Winning brings joy and prestige.”
Spain will take on France on Thursday, in a repeat of the same semi-final fixture from the Euros eleven months ago. “That match was really tough,” Cucurella recalled. “We struggled early on but turned it around. We’re expecting a similar kind of game. Hopefully, it ends the same way, with us in the final.”
Asked about his toughest opponents this season, Cucurella cited Liverpool’s Mo Salah and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, but also praised France’s attacking firepower. “All their forwards have incredible talent – they’re direct and quick. But I believe the game will depend on us. We want to be the protagonists. If we have to suffer, we will.”
He also addressed the threat posed by France’s star striker. “Mbappe is a great player. He’s been proving it for years and was La Liga’s top scorer. France have a fantastic team, but they should be just as worried about our attackers. It’ll be a tight, high-quality match.”
Cucurella recently won the UEFA Conference League with Chelsea, beating Isco Alarcon’s Real Betis in the final. Just four days later, the two found themselves reunited in the Spain squad. “We haven’t spoken much about the final, although we’ve ended up sitting together at the table,” he joked.
“Isco deserves to be back,” he added. “When I used to watch the national team and he played, it was such a joy to see his talent. Now we get to enjoy him again in the squad. He brings a lot of experience and quality.”