Marc Cucurella has emphasized that an opportunity to join Real Madrid is simply impossible to turn down, responding to the fierce criticism he received from Barcelona fans after agreeing to move to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Real Madrid secured the left-back’s signature from Chelsea in a deal worth €55 million. The transfer triggered a wave of backlash from Barcelona supporters, who viewed the move as a betrayal given Cucurella’s roots as a graduate of Barça’s famed La Masia academy.
When questioned about the fans’ reaction, Cucurella remained composed: “I respect everyone’s opinion, and I am incredibly grateful to Barcelona’s youth academy, but everything in life has its stages.”
“I believed this was the step I needed to take,” he added. “When a club of Real Madrid’s stature contacts you, it is very difficult to say no. I am extremely happy with this decision.”
On how quickly the transfer happened: “I am so excited about this new chapter that is about to begin. They called me in the morning and asked if I wanted to join. I didn’t hesitate for a single second; it was a massive step for my career. We sorted everything out in just a day and a half.”
Cucurella also opened up about the prospect of working under newly appointed manager José Mourinho, saying: “I spoke with Mourinho; he called me and said he really wanted to work with me. I am thoroughly looking forward to it.”
“Our conversation was very brief,” Cucurella concluded. “What I loved was that he remembered my performances when I played against Benfica and noticed those fine details. That gave me the ultimate confidence to know that this was exactly the move I needed to make.”
