"Not being given the opportunity hurts a little" - Chelsea star Marc Cucurella reflects on his exit from Barcelona

Chelsea star Marc Cucurella has reflected on his departure from Barcelona after delivering an impressive performance in their 3-0 win over his former club. Cucurella was one of the best players in the game and was named 'Man of the Match.'

Marc Cucurella hails from Barcelona's famed youth academy, La Masia, known for producing legends like Lionel Messi. Despite being at the club between 2017 and 2020, the Spaniard spent most of his time on loan at Eibar and Getafe.

Cucurella made only one senior team appearance for the Catalans, which came in an intermediate stage first-leg Copa del Rey clash against Real Murcia in 2017 under coach Ernesto Valverde, which the Catalans won 0-3. He joined Chelsea in 2022 after a season at Getafe, followed by Brighton & Hove Albion.

In an interview on the Informe Plus programme via SPORT, Marc Cucurella recalled his departure from Barcelona, expressing his disappointment in not being given a chance to perform. He said:

"Not being given the opportunity hurts a little. I felt bad about it, but it made me grow a lot. Everything I’ve achieved so far, perhaps, if the decision had been different, I wouldn’t have achieved everything I have now."

Cucurella showed immense potential with his rise at Chelsea, while also delivering for his national team. He won Euro 2024 with Spain, while also winning the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea this season. The 27-year-old has made 131 appearances for the Blues across competitions.

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Wayne Rooney hails Chelsea star Marc Cucurella's performance in 3-0 win over Barcelona

Chelsea FC v FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 - Source: Getty

In an interview on Amazon Prime, Wayne Rooney hailed Marc Cucurella's performance in Chelsea's 3-0 win over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. Rooney specifically spoke about Cucurella's handling of the Catalans' teen prodigy, Lamine Yamal, and said (via ESPN):

"Cucurella's given the best training lesson you could have for dealing with Lamine Yamal tonight. Cucurella was absolutely incredible, probably the best performance I've seen from a left-back for a long, long time. To do that tonight, he's a serious player."

During the game, Cucurella made two interceptions, two clearances, four recoveries and blocked one shot. He won three out of five tackles while keeping Yamal in check for most of the game. Meanwhile, the 18-year-old had a poor performance, with only one shot on target.

The Blues will now gear up to face their rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday. They are second in the league, but a victory in the upcoming game will still keep the Gunners three points clear. Meanwhile, Barca are one point behind table toppers Real Madrid in LaLiga and will face Deportivo Alaves on Saturday.

Note: All in-game statistics were taken from SofaScore as of writing and are subject to change per the website's prerogative.