Marc Cucurella criticizes Chelsea and defends Enzo Maresca in an interview.

Marc Cucurella, the Spanish defender for Chelsea, expressed his deep frustration with the club’s transfer policy and criticized the decision to dismiss Enzo Maresca, stating that the hasty change has brought unwanted “instability” to the team. His impactful statement comes at a time when Chelsea is struggling to establish itself in the Premier League, currently sitting in sixth place after a disappointing start to the season.

Cucurella did not hesitate to express that Maresca, who was let go on New Year’s Day while Chelsea was in fifth place in the standings, should still be in charge of the team. “The moment Maresca left, it had a huge impact on us. These are decisions made by the club. If you asked me, I would not have made that decision. Making a change like that, the best thing is to wait until the end of the season, to give the players and the new coach time to prepare,” the player stated, highlighting the lack of continuity the club is facing.

The departure of Maresca, who led Chelsea to win the Club World Cup with a convincing victory over Paris Saint-Germain, has left a gap that has yet to be effectively filled. Liam Rosenior, his successor, faces considerable challenges, particularly with a tight match schedule that has hindered the implementation of new ideas. “Liam is a really good person and has been great at dealing with the group, but we don’t have time to train his ideas. We are training in competitive matches every three days, and that leaves us with no time to work on the pitch,” lamented Cucurella.

The 25-year-old player emphasized the need for time for processes to establish and for players to become familiar with the tactical demands. He mentioned the stability the team had under Maresca’s leadership, where, for 18 months, they managed to develop a mutual understanding that facilitated adaptation to tactical changes. “If we look at Arsenal, who are fighting for all the trophies, they have [Mikel] Arteta for almost seven years. That confidence in the project brings rewards,” he concluded.

Chelsea’s transfer policy, under the new leadership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, has faced criticism, particularly for its emphasis on acquiring young talent. While Cucurella acknowledges the intention to build a team for the future, he expressed concerns about the lack of experience in crucial situations. “Results like these are always hard to accept. Fighting and training every day only to realize that, at the moment when the games matter, we are still far from the highest level,” he said.

“We have a good core of players. The foundations are there. But, to compete for major trophies like the Premier League or the Champions League, more is needed. Simply signing young players can complicate the achievement of those goals,” he added. He emphasized that while young players have the potential to gain experience, it is essential to find a balance between youth and experience.

Cucurella remains focused on helping Chelsea find their form, but the pressure is mounting and expectations are high. With the club’s future at stake, the hope for a positive change depends not only on results on the pitch but also on the stability and continuity that the team so desperately needs.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.