Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella was booed during Spain’s Nations League final against Portugal.
Cucurella, who has enjoyed a fine season for Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea, started Spain’s semi-final win against France on Thursday and was named in the line-up to face Portugal at the Allianz Arena on Sunday.
He started on the left-side of a back four, with Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen and Atletico Madrid’s Robin Le Normand in central defence and Oscar Mingueza of Celta Vigo at right-back.
As the game began, it became clear that Cucurella was being jeered from the fans inside the stadium. Every time the ex-Brighton defender got the ball, loud boos were audible.
And the reason behind Cucurella’s negative reception has since been revealed. According to ITV commentator Seb Hutchinson, the 26-year-old faced boos from local fans because of the handball incident during Spain’s quarter-final win against Germany at Euro 2024 last summer.
Jamal Musiala’s fierce strike appeared to hit Cucurella’s arm inside the box in extra-time, but referee Antony Taylor waved away appeals from the Germany players. VAR, meanwhile, didn’t intervene and Spain went on to progress through the semi-final.
A matter of months after the game, UEFA admitted the decision not to award a handball against Cucurella was a mistake and Germany should have been given a penalty. UEFA’s Referee Committee told international referees that it was an error.
“Following the latest UEFA guidelines, hand-to-ball contact that stops a shot on goal should be punished more strictly, and in most cases, a penalty kick should be awarded, unless the defender’s arm is very close to the body or on the body,” the Referees Committee said on the incident in a report, per Relevo.
“In this case, the defender [Cucurella] stops the shot on goal with his arm, which is not very close to the body, making itself bigger, so a penalty kick should have been awarded.”
Now, it seems that the Germany fans have not forgotten about the controversial incident and are still giving Cucurella some stick, as they did after he handled the ball in the quarter-final.
Loud booing was present throughout the first half and on every touch. Even after Cucurella was fouled in the 40th minute, Germany fans inside the Allianz Arena cheered.
As for the game itself, Spain took the lead in the 21st minute. Martin Zubimendi, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer, fired home from close range after the ball fell to his feet in the box.
Portugal, however, responded and equalised five minutes later. Nuno Mendes, fresh off winning the Champions League at Paris Saint-Germain, lashed home from just inside the area.
But Spain bounced back and regained the advantage just before half-time. Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored the winner in the Euro 2024 final against England last summer, netted in the 45th minute.
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