Private duel with 'public enemy' Cucurella: Bayern fans hail Olise | OneFootball

The Champions League night between FC Bayern and FC Chelsea carried a very special tension for Marc Cucurella. The Spaniard was booed by the home fans in the Allianz Arena for the full 90 minutes—a gauntlet that has its roots in the Euro 2024 quarterfinal.

Even during the warm-up, Cucurella was met with piercing whistles. The Munich fans’ hostility continued consistently throughout the match: every touch of the ball by the Chelsea defender was loudly accompanied. However, the animosity toward the left-back had less to do with the evening itself—rather, German fans are still carrying a chapter from recent national team history.

Handball Incident from the Euros Still Resonates

The origin of the resentment lies in the summer of 2024. Back then, Cucurella prevented a possible goal by Jamal Musiala in the Euro quarterfinal with a handball in the penalty area. Referee Anthony Taylor, however, did not award a penalty—a scene that is still considered one of the biggest refereeing errors of the tournament. Germany later lost the match 2-1 to a header by Mikel Merino.

Almost symbolically, there was a scene in the 16th minute of the Bayern vs. Chelsea clash that brought back memories: once again, Cucurella played the ball with his hand. This time, referee José Maria Sanchez Martinez at least awarded a free kick to Munich. “Half the stadium jumped up,” commented DAZN expert Michael Ballack on the scene. The protests from the stands reached their peak at that moment.

That Cucurella has now become something of a scapegoat in Germany was already evident at the 2025 Nations League finals, where he was also booed. In Munich, this trend continued seamlessly.

Personal Duel with Olise Sets the Mood

In addition to the relentless whistles, Cucurella also engaged in a heated personal duel with Bayern’s Michael Olise. Time and again, the two clashed in intense challenges, closely watched by the fans.

Things got particularly curious shortly before the end: Olise visibly shoved Cucurella to the ground from behind. Referee Sanchez Martinez punished the action with a yellow card—but the Allianz Arena reacted differently. Olise was celebrated with loud applause from his own fans for his robust play, and even “Olise” chants echoed through the stadium.

While FC Bayern celebrated a successful start to the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Chelsea, the evening became a personal ordeal for Marc Cucurella. For Bayern fans, on the other hand, it was a belated sense of satisfaction for Euro 2024—and for Michael Olise, the next step in winning the hearts of the crowd with his combative style.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.