Marc Cucurella has acknowledged that Chelsea FC are still dealing with the consequences of Enzo Maresca’s departure midway through the season, stressing that the move unsettled the team at a critical stage of the campaign.
Speaking openly in a press conference with The Athletic FC, the Spanish left-back—currently away on international duty—explained that the timing of the managerial change significantly affected the squad, particularly given the short window to adjust to the methods of new coach Liam Rosenior.
“The moment Maresca left, it had a big impact on us,” Cucurella said. “These are decisions taken by the club. If you asked me, I would not have made this decision. To make a change like that, the best thing is to wait until the end of the season.”
Recent performances have highlighted Chelsea’s difficulties, including a disappointing run of results and a heavy UEFA Champions League exit, where they were beaten 8-2 on aggregate by Paris Saint-Germain. That defeat revealed underlying problems such as inexperience and a lack of unity within the squad.
Cucurella admitted the team struggled in crucial moments, especially late in the first leg when control slipped away.
“We lacked experience,” he said. “For a lot of players, it was the first time playing a match of that calibre, and we paid the price.
“You can always make a mistake, but we should have handled it better. There was a return game to play. We made a mistake, tried to attack without a clear structure and then PSG took the chance.”
He also suggested that the club’s transfer policy—focused heavily on younger players—has made it harder to compete for top honors.
“We have a good core of players. The foundations are there,” he said. “But to fight for major trophies, you need more. Signing young players only might complicate achieving those goals.”
His remarks align with concerns reportedly expressed by teammate Enzo Fernández, pointing to increasing uncertainty within the dressing room about the club’s direction and consistency.
While describing Rosenior as “a very good person” with clear ideas, Cucurella noted that a packed schedule has limited the team’s ability to fully adapt to the new system.
“We don’t have the time to train them,” he explained. “We train on competitive games, because we play every three days. In this context, it is normal that your plans sometimes don’t work out.”
Reflecting on the previous setup, he added:
“With Enzo Maresca in charge, we were more stable. In our last months with him, we played almost by heart.”
Cucurella concluded by emphasizing the importance of patience in building success, referencing projects like Arsenal FC under Mikel Arteta as an example.
“You need a process for every player to understand what we need to do,” he added. “That trust in the project gives rewards.”
