Marc Cucurella discusses Lamine Yamal battle, Estevao comparison and Pedri absence ahead of Chelsea vs Barcelona | OneFootball

A Chelsea player who shares a rather special connection with FC Barcelona is Marc Cucurella. The Spanish left-back, now aged 27, was formerly a La Masia talent and is now impressing for the London-based club.

However, ahead of the game itself, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, the Chelsea defender addressed the media in his pre-match press conference and confessed that this game is definitely something special for him:

“It’s a very special match for me and my family. I played against them years ago, and now I have another opportunity in the Champions League. I hope we can play well and take all three points.”

Speaking on a personal level, he believes he is currently in good form and also acknowledged that he believes things happen for a reason when asked about his departure from Barcelona:

“I’m performing at a high level, and I feel confident. Everything happens for a reason, and I’m very happy with my career.”

As for Barcelona, Cucurella was quick to admit that the Catalan giants are a great team as well and praised them while admitting that it would be a great game between the two sides:

“The key will be taking the ball away from them, as well as the physical aspect. Barça are a great team. Maybe this year they haven’t completely controlled matches, but they are the champions of La Liga and the Copa. They’re doing things well and have a lot of talent. It will be a very beautiful match, and we want to show what we can do. It’s a great game. We are two of the best young squads in the world. It will be very entertaining. The people who watch the match will enjoy it a lot.”

Even ahead of the game, the Spaniard confessed that there has been a lot of excitement ever since the draws came out as well:

“When the draw came out, everyone was talking about Chelsea-Barça because it’s a huge match. There have been some jokes with the Barça players, but since the national-team break ended, they have only spoken to me to ask for tickets.”

One of the standout battles on the pitch will be Cucurella’s duel with Lamine Yamal, although the defender refused to view it as an individual rivalry:

“Tomorrow isn’t Lamine vs. Cucurella. It will be a tough battle, but hopefully we can play well and win. Against these kinds of players, you never know what they’re going to do, but I know him a bit, and I have my team’s support. It’s eleven against eleven. We hope to take all three points because they are very important for us.”

When asked to compare Lamine Yamal and Estevao, two of the brightest talents for Barça and Chelsea, Cucurella praised both players but made sure to highlight Yamal’s consistency on the European stage:

“Both are very special, they have a lot of talent, and they always want the ball. They can decide matches. The difference is that Lamine has already spent seasons playing in Europe, but Estevao is doing really well, and if he keeps progressing, he can reach that level. I told Estevao to wear shin pads in training because I need to practise.”

However, he did admit that he feels that Pedri’s absence is a big blow for Barça and that he will be a real miss for Hansi Flick’s team in this upcoming European clash:

“The player who has surprised me the most is Pedri. He’s a great player, but this season he was at an incredible level. He is a vital player, and this injury is a shame. He’s a player who always wants the ball; he never loses it. For a team like Barça, he is a very important piece, but they have many good players even if Pedri doesn’t play.”

Still, with or without Pedri, Barcelona need to be at their best level. Beating Chelsea will not be easy, especially at Stamford Bridge, but the Catalan giants have enough quality and magic at their disposal to get a good result.