Chelsea legend John Terry has made a huge claim about star left-back Marc Cucurella after his masterclass against Barcelona and Lamine Yamal in the Champions League.
Chelsea thrash Barcelona as Marc Cucurella shines
Cucurella delivered the performance of his Chelsea career on Tuesday night, completely neutralizing Barça’s sensation Yamal as the Blues cruised to a commanding 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
While another teenage sensation, Estevao, grabbed all the headlines with his spectacular solo goal, it was Cucurella’s disciplined defensive work that provided the foundation for Chelsea’s dominant display against the Spanish champions.
The left-back’s ability to lock down his international teammate proved instrumental in suffocating Barcelona’s primary attacking threat throughout the ninety minutes, with Cucurella earning a deserved player of the match award.
Yamal, who finished second in the recent Ballon d’Or voting, endured one of the most frustrating evenings of his early career to date as Cucurella shadowed his every movement.
The Chelsea defender repeatedly intercepted passes intended for the teenage prodigy and forced him into ineffective wide areas where he posed minimal threat, with Cucurella continuing to make his previous doubters look pretty silly.
Beyond his defensive responsibilities, Cucurella contributed going forward too — providing an outlet down the left channel and delivering dangerous crosses into Barca’s penalty area. His energy and work rate exemplified the intensity Chelsea brought to the contest, setting the tone for teammates to follow.
The 27-year-old, who has been a standout performer for both Enzo Maresca’s side and Spain over these last two seasons, was also awarded a secret contract extension in August to reflect his star player status, according to Fabrizio Romano this week.
Now, Terry has had his say on the former Brighton star in a statement of real praise.
John Terry makes big Marc Cucurella claim after Chelsea masterclass
Speaking on Wednesday, Terry branded Cucurella as one of the best left-backs in the world right now and everything he wants to see in a Chelsea player.
Right now, there is no question that he is one of Chelsea’s most important players, but a time will come when the club must replace him considering he one day wants to return to play in Spain.
According to some reports, Chelsea already have a succession plan in mind.
Journalist Simon Phillips reported earlier this week that Chelsea are trying to convince Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly to join them as a long-term replacement for Cucurella, but for now, the Hale End sensation isn’t keen on going anywhere.
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