Latest news with #Cucurella
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Real Betis vs. Chelsea, UEFA Conference League: Live blog; highlights
Welcome to the UEFA Conference League final, the fourth ever! We're facing proper opposition for the first time in this entire competition, and to the winner will go all the spoils! Should we win, we would become the first team in Europe to win all the UEFA competitions. Enzo Maresca has chosen to rotate the defense (except Cucurella) alongside the goalkeeper, keeping the midfield-five the same. Jackson comes back in at the top. Advertisement Here we go! Real Betis starting XI: Adrian | Cardoso, Bartra, Natan, Antony, Ezzalzouli, Bakambu, Fornals, Isco (c), Sabaly Substitutes from: Vieites, Perraud, Altimira, Lo Celso, Ruibal, Mendy, Ortiz, Flores, Garcia Chelsea starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen | Cucurella, Badiashile, Chalobah, Gusto | Enzo (c), Caicedo | Madueke, Palmer, Neto | Jackson Substitutes from: Sanchez, Bergstrom, Tosin, Colwill, Acheampong, James, Amougou, Dewsbury-Hall, George, Sancho, Nkunku, Guiu Date / Time: Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 20.00 BST; 3pm EDT; 12:30am IST (next day) Venue: Stadion Miejski, Wrocław, Poland Referee: Irfan Peljto (on pitch); Jérôme Brisard (VAR) Advertisement On TV: TNT Sports (UK); CBS Sports Network, TUDN (USA); Sony TEN 5 (India); SuperSports Football Plus (NGA); elsewhere Streaming: discovery+ (UK); Paramount+, TUDN (USA); Sony LIV (India); DStv Now (NGA) LIVE BLOG Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes! More from
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Chelsea vs Real Betis LIVE SCORE: Conference League final updates as Nicolas Jackson STARTS in Poland
THE final of the Conference League is here TONIGHT - and it promises to be a thriller. Advertisement The West Londoners will be mixing it with Europe's elite next term after securing On the team news front, Kick-off time: 8pm BST TV channel: TNT Sports 1 FREE live stream: Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Cucurella, Badiashile, Chalobah, Gusto; Palmer, Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Madueke, Pedro Neto; Jackson Real Betis XI: Adrian, Gabaly, Natan, Bartra, Rodriguez, Cardoso, Fornals, Antony, Isco, Ezzalzouli, Bakambu CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Follow our live blog below... Advertisement By Chelsea team announced As expected, Nicolas Jackson leads the line for Chelsea. While Levi Colwill is on the bench. Cole Palmer starts the final while Enzo Fernandez captains the side for the final. Copy link Copied By Chelsea aiming for history Chelsea have won eight European titles - making them the second most successful English team. The only trophy that has eluded the Blues to complete the full set of major European honours is the recently-formed Conference League. But should Chelsea beat Betis they will become the first team to have won ALL of Europe's majors in their history. Chelsea have won Europe's elite competition, the Champions League, twice - They have also won the Europa League twice - in 2013 and 2019. The now defunct Cup Winners' Cup was won in 1971 and 1998. And the UEFA Super Cup in 1998 and 2021. Only Liverpool have won more European titles for an English team with 13. Credit: Getty Copy link Copied By 28 arrests made A statement from Lower Silesian Police in Wrocław said 28 people have been arrested today. They said: "After 5pm on the Wrocław Market Square, in connection with the previous negative behaviour of fans and the clash of several hundred people from both teams, arrests of fans involved in this incident are ongoing. "The police quickly took action and restored the violated legal order, and now they continue to act so that others can safely participate in this great celebration of sports. "At this moment, we can confirm the arrest of 28 participants in the incident. "No one will escape legal responsibility and the police will react decisively and appropriately to the situation." Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Copy link Copied By Fan violence earlier today Shocking scenes of violence erupted earlier today in Poland ahead of the Conference League final between Chelsea and Real Betis tonight. British and Spanish football fans were seen brawling in the streets, launching bottles and smoke grenades and even being pushed back by police water cannons across the past 24 hours. The ugly scenes kicked off mainly near the fanzone in Wroclaw with riot police forced to defuse the violence. Just hours before Soon, chairs were hurtling through the air as the fans squared up to each other before police, some armed with guns, came to separate them. Moment Chelsea & Real Betis fans CLASH in Poland launching bottles & smoke grenades hours before Europa Conference final Copy link Copied By Maresca on Jackson debt Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said: "I think Nico is in debt with his team-mates. "And the reason why is because in that moment, Newcastle away was for us the most important game. "And he left his teammates with ten players for one hour. "So for sure he's in debt. For sure he's a good guy. For sure he recognised the mistake. "He apologised to his teammates. That is very important. "And I'm sure that [in the final] he's going to do a very good game for us." Copy link Copied By More on Jackson Nicolas Jackson has been told he will start for Chelsea in tonight's Conference League Final. The striker is desperate to make amends for Jackson is currently serving a three-match domestic ban and will miss the first game of the next Premier League season as a result. But Blues boss And Jackson will be included in the starting XI in Wroclaw. Jackson was sent off in the first half of the huge showdown at St James' Park. Copy link Copied By Team news imminent We're expecting the team news within the next half an hour for tonight's big one. But one thing we do know is Nicolas Jackson WILL start for Chelsea. He is currently serving a three-match domestic ban and will miss the first game of the next Premier League season as a result. Credit: Getty Copy link Copied
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Marc Cucurella was so unpopular at Barcelona his team-mates couldn't even look at him – now he's undroppable at Chelsea
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARC CUCURELLA has faced rejection many times in his career but he just doesn't give up. When he signed from Espanyol nobody at Barcelona would talk to him for weeks because he celebrated wildly after beating them in the Copa del Rey final. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Cucurella has had to overcome adversity but he's living his best life at Chelsea Credit: Getty 8 His start to life at Chelsea was tough but he's overcome his problems Credit: X formerly Twitter / @primevideosport 8 Cucurella was such a massive hit at Brighton when he first arrived in England Credit: AFP He'd come to training but would never talk to anyone and mostly sat in the changing room by himself. In an exclusive interview, his old team-mate at Barcelona, Carles Alena, told SunSport: 'He took his shirt off, went wild and the crazy thing is, a month later, he had signed for Barcelona so you can imagine how we felt. 'When he came to Barca for preseason, I remember I couldn't even look at him. Neither could many of my team-mates and he didn't want to look at us either. 'He was kind of embarrassed and I remember those first few days, he'd sit in the locker room without even making eye contact, like 'Damn, what have I done?'' But football has a unique way of joining people and it wasn't long before his new team-mates started to understand it was all done in the spirit of competitiveness. His second immediate challenge was to break into the first team, every player who comes through their La Masia academy dreaming of playing for Barcelona. If they don't, it can crush them - but Cucurella's story is proof that sometimes to win, you have to lose first. The first-team league debut never came. So in the summer of 2018 with the transfer window about to close, he got a phone call from Eibar sporting director Fran Garagarza. Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge He said: 'Hey, I know you want to play at Barcelona but maybe you can play at Eibar first, then you can show them what you're made of.' Most young players at La Masia would hesitate but Cucurella was hungry to play so he didn't dwell on it for long. Marc Cucurella wipes away tears as Chelsea star and Wag Claudia Rodriguez reveal emotional strain of son Mateo's autism He had come from Espanyol and after a difficult start won over everyone but he had a feeling it was time to go big time. Alena, who had become his best friend in the squad, revealed: 'He didn't want to play in Segunda B again. "Then the opportunity with Eibar came up, and I think he made the right choice because he had a coach there, Mendilibar, who really trusted him. "He became even more of a footballer there than he already was.' The meeting to leave Barcelona lasted just two hours, that was it. From that moment, his life and mindset changed. He went from waiting for opportunities to creating them himself. Sometimes that's all you need. He was one of the popular faces at La Masia, but there were others seen as more talented or higher in the pecking order - but still he was more aggressive, more driven. 8 Cucurella and his family are settled in London now Credit: instagram/@_claurodri 8 Barcelona agreed to a loan with Eibar, with a £2million option to buy, and a £4m buy-back clause. Everyone was satisfied. Eibar coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, who gave him his debut, told Marca: "He's a kid who's neither fast nor strong. 'In all the measurements we do with the many machines we have, he doesn't fit into any of them. 'You'd never sign him based on that but he's a footballer, very smart. He chooses well. That's Marc Cucurella." In the entire Spanish football pyramid, Eibar is one of the hardest places to play. They're a small team from a tiny village in the Basque region, known for playing physical, direct football, more like English teams than the typical Spanish style. 8 Cucurella had to leave Barcelona to become his own man Credit: Getty Images For someone from La Masia, that should've been a challenge but Cucurella excelled there. They say you never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option - so the new challenge tested him and he passed with flying colours. Eibar exercised the buy option and Barcelona bought him back for £4m, making Eibar a £2m profit in just one season. Getafe days Cucurella returned to Barcelona twice as tall, more confident and having proved himself by helping a small club punch above their weight. One team stood out among the clubs interested, Getafe. Ramon Planes, now sporting director at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, knew the Spanish system well and had kept a close eye on Cucurella. He convinced Barcelona to do a similar deal as they had with Eibar but this time for £10m potentially rising to £18.5m. Cucurella spent two seasons at Getafe, playing their memorable Europa League campaign and helping the team cement their LaLiga status. 8 Left-back Marc Cucurella has come through the ranks in Barcelona's academy Credit: Getty Images Amankwaa Akurugu, the backup left-back to Cucurella at Getafe, exclusively tells SunSport: 'I was young and he came in with so much experience and energy. 'He was exemplary in the dressing room but it was on the pitch where his energy really showed, his pressing was relentless and his defensive work was solid. 'He never acted like he was from Barcelona and deserved respect. He was humble, cracked jokes with us and made everything easy. 'He easily could've acted like the boss after all he'd done well the previous season and was still on Barcelona's books but none of that shows how grounded he is.' Brighton Cucurella's stock kept rising, West Ham showed strong interest but David Moyes didn't think he would be a good fit for their style. That turned out to be the Irons' loss and Brighton's gain. From day one in East Sussex he was a hit. You can spend years sharpening your skills and then when success comes it often happens fast and feels inevitable. Cucurella was excited to be in the Premier League. Brighton was different from Espanyol, Barcelona, Eibar, or Getafe, but it was a good fit. He loved how Graham Potter saw the game. By the end of his first season, he'd been named both Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season. Brighton are renowned for elite recruitment but few players have delivered value on and off the pitch as quickly and effectively as the curly-haired Spaniard. Chelsea beat Manchester City to his signature Cucurella's breakout Premier League season caught the attention of Pep Guardiola, who reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the player. But once Brighton learned Chelsea were also in the race they raised the price and Manchester City couldn't match it. 8 Cucurella's hardwork on the pitch has won over fans Credit: Getty Chelsea paid a whopping £60m for him, but like at Barcelona, his start to life in West London was tough. Yet the lessons and experience of a tough beginning meant he stuck with it instead of jumping at the first opportunity to move. Manchester United lost two of their left backs and were looking for stop gap options. And Cucurella, struggling at Chelsea, could have jumped at the opportunity but he stuck and fought his way back from being surplus to requirement to being unstoppable this season. Everything about him has been exemplary at Chelsea, he's added to his game, scores goals and defends aggressively. Now when he doesn't play there is a feeling that something is missing. And he might just be adding a Conference League title to his resume this week.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Marc Cucurella was so unpopular at Barcelona his team-mates couldn't even look at him – now he's undroppable at Chelsea
MARC CUCURELLA has faced rejection many times in his career but he just doesn't give up. When he signed from Espanyol nobody at Advertisement 8 Cucurella has had to overcome adversity but he's living his best life at Chelsea Credit: Getty 8 His start to life at Chelsea was tough but he's overcome his problems Credit: X formerly Twitter / @primevideosport 8 Cucurella was such a massive hit at Brighton when he first arrived in England Credit: AFP He'd come to training but would never talk to anyone and mostly sat in the changing room by himself. In an exclusive interview, his old team-mate at 'When he came to Barca for preseason, I remember I couldn't even look at him. Neither could many of my team-mates and he didn't want to look at us either. 'He was kind of embarrassed and I remember those first few days, he'd sit in the locker room without even making eye contact, like 'Damn, what have I done?'' Advertisement READ MORE IN CHELSEA But football has a unique way of joining people and it wasn't long before his new team-mates started to understand it was all done in the spirit of competitiveness. His second immediate challenge was to break into the first team, every player who comes through their La Masia academy dreaming of playing for Barcelona. If they don't, it can crush them - but Cucurella's story is proof that sometimes to win, you have to lose first. The first-team league debut never came. So in the summer of 2018 with the transfer window about to close, he got a phone call from Eibar sporting director Fran Garagarza. Advertisement Most read in Football Exclusive Latest Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge He said: 'Hey, I know you want to play at Barcelona but maybe you can play at Eibar first, then you can show them what you're made of.' Most young players at La Masia would hesitate but Cucurella was hungry to play so he didn't dwell on it for long. Marc Cucurella wipes away tears as Chelsea star and Wag Claudia Rodriguez reveal emotional strain of son Mateo's autism He had come from Advertisement Alena, who had become his best friend in the squad, revealed: 'He didn't want to play in Segunda B again. "Then the opportunity with Eibar came up, and I think he made the right choice because he had a coach there, Mendilibar, who really trusted him. "He became even more of a footballer there than he already was.' The meeting to leave Barcelona lasted just two hours, that was it. From that moment, his life and mindset changed. Advertisement He went from waiting for opportunities to creating them himself. Sometimes that's all you need. He was one of the popular faces at La Masia, but there were others seen as more talented or higher in the pecking order - but still he was more aggressive, more driven. 8 Cucurella and his family are settled in London now Credit: instagram/@_claurodri 8 Advertisement Barcelona agreed to a loan with Eibar, with a £2million option to buy, and a £4m buy-back clause. Everyone was satisfied. Eibar coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, who gave him his debut, told Marca: "He's a kid who's neither fast nor strong. 'In all the measurements we do with the many machines we have, he doesn't fit into any of them. 'You'd never sign him based on that but he's a footballer, very smart. He chooses well. That's " Advertisement In the entire Spanish football pyramid, Eibar is one of the hardest places to play. They're a small team from a tiny village in the Basque region, known for playing physical, direct football, more like English teams than the typical Spanish style. 8 Cucurella had to leave Barcelona to become his own man Credit: Getty Images For someone from La Masia, that should've been a challenge but Cucurella excelled there. Advertisement They say you never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option - so the new challenge tested him and he passed with flying colours. Eibar exercised the buy option and Barcelona bought him back for £4m, making Eibar a £2m profit in just one season. Getafe days Cucurella returned to Barcelona twice as tall, more confident and having proved himself by helping a small club punch above their weight. One team stood out among the clubs interested, Getafe. Advertisement Ramon Planes, now sporting director at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia , knew the Spanish system well and had kept a close eye on Cucurella. He convinced Barcelona to do a similar deal as they had with Eibar but this time for £10m potentially rising to £18.5m. Cucurella spent two seasons at Getafe, playing their memorable Europa League campaign and helping the team cement their LaLiga status. 8 Left-back Marc Cucurella has come through the ranks in Barcelona's academy Credit: Getty Images Advertisement Amankwaa Akurugu, the backup left-back to Cucurella at Getafe, exclusively tells SunSport: 'I was young and he came in with so much experience and energy. 'He was exemplary in the dressing room but it was on the pitch where his energy really showed, his pressing was relentless and his defensive work was solid. 'He never acted like he was from Barcelona and deserved respect. He was humble, cracked jokes with us and made everything easy. 'He easily could've acted like the boss after all he'd done well the previous season and was still on Barcelona's books but none of that shows how grounded he is.' Advertisement Brighton Cucurella's stock kept rising, David Moyes didn't think he would be a good fit for their style. That turned out to be the Irons' loss and Brighton's gain. From day one in East Sussex he was a hit. You can spend years sharpening your skills and then when success comes it often happens fast and feels inevitable. Cucurella was excited to be in the Premier League. Brighton was different from Espanyol, Barcelona, Eibar, or Getafe, but it was a good fit. He loved how Advertisement By the end of his first season, he'd been named both Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season. Brighton are renowned for elite recruitment but few players have delivered value on and off the pitch as quickly and effectively as the curly-haired Spaniard. Chelsea beat Manchester City to his signature Cucurella's breakout Premier League season caught the attention of Pep Guardiola , who reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the player. But once Brighton learned Advertisement 8 Cucurella's hardwork on the pitch has won over fans Credit: Getty Chelsea paid a whopping £60m for him, but like at Barcelona, his start to life in West London was tough. Yet the lessons and experience of a tough beginning meant he stuck with it instead of jumping at the first opportunity to move. Advertisement And Cucurella, struggling at Chelsea, could have jumped at the opportunity but he stuck and fought his way back from being surplus to requirement to being unstoppable this season. Everything about him has been exemplary at Chelsea, he's added to his game, scores goals and defends aggressively. Now when he doesn't play there is a feeling that something is missing. And he might just be adding a Conference League title to his resume this week. Advertisement
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Marc Cucurella was so unpopular at Barcelona his team-mates couldn't even look at him – now he's undroppable at Chelsea
MARC CUCURELLA has faced rejection many times in his career but he just doesn't give up. When he signed from Espanyol nobody at Barcelona would talk to him for weeks because he celebrated wildly after beating them in the Copa del Rey final. 8 8 He'd come to training but would never talk to anyone and mostly sat in the changing room by himself. In an exclusive interview, his old team-mate at Barcelona, Carles Alena, told SunSport: 'He took his shirt off, went wild and the crazy thing is, a month later, he had signed for Barcelona so you can imagine how we felt. 'When he came to Barca for preseason, I remember I couldn't even look at him. Neither could many of my team-mates and he didn't want to look at us either. 'He was kind of embarrassed and I remember those first few days, he'd sit in the locker room without even making eye contact, like 'Damn, what have I done?'' But football has a unique way of joining people and it wasn't long before his new team-mates started to understand it was all done in the spirit of competitiveness. His second immediate challenge was to break into the first team, every player who comes through their La Masia academy dreaming of playing for Barcelona. If they don't, it can crush them - but Cucurella's story is proof that sometimes to win, you have to lose first. The first-team league debut never came. So in the summer of 2018 with the transfer window about to close, he got a phone call from Eibar sporting director Fran Garagarza. Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge He said: 'Hey, I know you want to play at Barcelona but maybe you can play at Eibar first, then you can show them what you're made of.' Most young players at La Masia would hesitate but Cucurella was hungry to play so he didn't dwell on it for long. He had come from Espanyol and after a difficult start won over everyone but he had a feeling it was time to go big time. Alena, who had become his best friend in the squad, revealed: 'He didn't want to play in Segunda B again. "Then the opportunity with Eibar came up, and I think he made the right choice because he had a coach there, Mendilibar, who really trusted him. "He became even more of a footballer there than he already was.' The meeting to leave Barcelona lasted just two hours, that was it. From that moment, his life and mindset changed. He went from waiting for opportunities to creating them himself. Sometimes that's all you need. He was one of the popular faces at La Masia, but there were others seen as more talented or higher in the pecking order - but still he was more aggressive, more driven. 8 8 Barcelona agreed to a loan with Eibar, with a £2million option to buy, and a £4m buy-back clause. Everyone was satisfied. Eibar coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, who gave him his debut, told Marca: "He's a kid who's neither fast nor strong. 'In all the measurements we do with the many machines we have, he doesn't fit into any of them. 'You'd never sign him based on that but he's a footballer, very smart. He chooses well. That's Marc Cucurella." In the entire Spanish football pyramid, Eibar is one of the hardest places to play. They're a small team from a tiny village in the Basque region, known for playing physical, direct football, more like English teams than the typical Spanish style. 8 For someone from La Masia, that should've been a challenge but Cucurella excelled there. They say you never know how strong you are until being strong is the only option - so the new challenge tested him and he passed with flying colours. Eibar exercised the buy option and Barcelona bought him back for £4m, making Eibar a £2m profit in just one season. Getafe days Cucurella returned to Barcelona twice as tall, more confident and having proved himself by helping a small club punch above their weight. One team stood out among the clubs interested, Getafe. Ramon Planes, now sporting director at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, knew the Spanish system well and had kept a close eye on Cucurella. He convinced Barcelona to do a similar deal as they had with Eibar but this time for £10m potentially rising to £18.5m. Cucurella spent two seasons at Getafe, playing their memorable Europa League campaign and helping the team cement their LaLiga status. 8 Amankwaa Akurugu, the backup left-back to Cucurella at Getafe, exclusively tells SunSport: 'I was young and he came in with so much experience and energy. 'He was exemplary in the dressing room but it was on the pitch where his energy really showed, his pressing was relentless and his defensive work was solid. 'He never acted like he was from Barcelona and deserved respect. He was humble, cracked jokes with us and made everything easy. 'He easily could've acted like the boss after all he'd done well the previous season and was still on Barcelona's books but none of that shows how grounded he is.' Brighton Cucurella's stock kept rising, West Ham showed strong interest but David Moyes didn't think he would be a good fit for their style. That turned out to be the Irons' loss and Brighton's gain. From day one in East Sussex he was a hit. You can spend years sharpening your skills and then when success comes it often happens fast and feels inevitable. Cucurella was excited to be in the Premier League. Brighton was different from Espanyol, Barcelona, Eibar, or Getafe, but it was a good fit. He loved how Graham Potter saw the game. By the end of his first season, he'd been named both Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season. Brighton are renowned for elite recruitment but few players have delivered value on and off the pitch as quickly and effectively as the curly-haired Spaniard. Chelsea beat Manchester City to his signature Cucurella's breakout Premier League season caught the attention of Pep Guardiola, who reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the player. But once Brighton learned Chelsea were also in the race they raised the price and Manchester City couldn't match it. 8 Chelsea paid a whopping £60m for him, but like at Barcelona, his start to life in West London was tough. Yet the lessons and experience of a tough beginning meant he stuck with it instead of jumping at the first opportunity to move. Manchester United lost two of their left backs and were looking for stop gap options. And Cucurella, struggling at Chelsea, could have jumped at the opportunity but he stuck and fought his way back from being surplus to requirement to being unstoppable this season. Everything about him has been exemplary at Chelsea, he's added to his game, scores goals and defends aggressively. Now when he doesn't play there is a feeling that something is missing. And he might just be adding a Conference League title to his resume this week.
