How Marc Cucurella became an important element of Chelsea's attack

New York Times

22-05-2025

On paper, Marc Cucurella has been playing as a left-back for Chelsea, but his role in possession has been much more varied than that.
Over Enzo Maresca's debut season as their head coach, Cucurella has filled different positions in Chelsea's 3-2-4-1 shape on the ball. The Spaniard has featured in the first line of the build-up, next to Moises Caicedo in the double pivot, as a left No 10 when they go to the box midfield and as the widest attacker down the left wing.
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In Chelsea's alternate 3-1-3-3 attacking shape, Cucurella has played similar roles and proved to be an effective solution in the attacking third, especially against back-five formations.
Here, in the 1-0 win against Leicester City in March, Cucurella is the left-winger when Chelsea are in possession, while Christopher Nkunku and Enzo Fernandez flank Cole Palmer as the three No 10s ahead of Caicedo.
Nkunku's characteristics mean that he is more suited to operating in the half-space rather than down the touchline, but Cucurella's ability to play either role led to Chelsea's winner that day.
In the build-up to the goal, Nkunku is in his narrow position and occupying Leicester's right wing-back, James Justin, as Fernandez passes to the advancing Cucurella.
As Chelsea's left-back controls the ball, Nkunku drifts wider to create space for him. Due to Nkunku's continuing threat, Justin is unable to move towards Cucurella, and because Leicester's right centre-back Wout Faes isn't close enough…
… the Spain international has time and space to drill the ball past Mads Hermansen into the bottom corner.
It's from this left No 10 position, as below against West Ham in February, that Cucurella has been popping up in the penalty area to score important goals for Chelsea this season.
In our next example, from December's match against Brentford, he is in the same spot again as Malo Gusto plays the ball wide to Noni Madueke.
Chelsea's nominal left-back, he is looking to attack the space between Brentford's right centre-back and wing-back, Sepp van den Berg and Mads Roerslev respectively, with the latter initially in a wider position to defend Jadon Sancho.
When Madueke receives the ball, Van den Berg adjusts his position to mark striker Nicolas Jackson, and Cucurella perfectly times his run to attack the gap in Brentford's defence and meet his right-winger's cross…
… and head the ball into the back of the net.
The 26-year-old scored a similar goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers a month later.
This time, Cucurella is looking to attack that same space with Wolves' right centre-back, Matt Doherty, occupied by Jackson, and Rayan Ait-Nouri — who had just switched positions with Nelson Semedo after a free kick — in a one-v-two scenario at the far post.
As Madueke sends a cross into the penalty area, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Cucurella make runs to attack the ball…
… and the midfielder flicks it on towards what for him is the far post, where his left-back colleague's overload has him in a goalscoring position.
Cucurella chests the ball down, before putting Chelsea in front.
Despite not having the complete skill set to operate between the lines, Cucurella is useful in this No 10 role because of his ability to time runs into the penalty area.
Considering Chelsea's attacking approach under Maresca, a late runner into the box complements their focus on attacking the wide areas through their isolated wingers. The out-and-out wingers force the opposition to stretch their defensive lines, which creates gaps for Cucurella to attack.
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'Cucurella has a background with Barcelona's academy, La Masia, so he grew up in a club where the philosophy that I like is similar,' Maresca said after the 1-0 win against Manchester United last Friday. 'The reason why Cucurella is doing so well with us is because we know him, what he can do, and the way we like to play is exactly the way that is good for him.'
It was Cucurella who scored the winner that night — in the same fashion as his other goals.
As we join the move, he is attacking the penalty area from a left No 10 position, while Pedro Neto plays the ball infield to Reece James on the Chelsea right.
Initially, Victor Lindelof is in a position to track his movement…
… but when Palmer dashes forward, he catches the attention of United's right centre-back and Chelsea create a three-versus-two overload towards the far post.
Meanwhile, James spins Alejandro Garnacho near the edge of the penalty area…
… and sends a cross towards the far post, where Cucurella attacks the space between Lindelof and Noussair Mazraoui…
… before heading the ball into the far corner.
'Cucurella already scored this season exactly similar goal(s) against Brentford and Wolves,' said Chelsea's head coach. 'He is in the right position at the right moment — it's not about how big you are, tall or small.'
The timing of 5ft 8in (172cm) Cucurella's runs into the penalty area is his main strength when playing as a left No 10, and his versatility means that his other strengths can be used in different roles, depending on the opponent and the profiles of his team-mates.
Defensively, he plays in one position for Chelsea, but offensively, it's a completely different story.