In a dramatic twist following Chelsea’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Brentford, left-back Marc Cucurella has been handed a one-match suspension which will sideline him for the next Premier League fixture.
Cucurella, who played a key role in the Blues’ quest for success, found himself in deep trouble as tensions rose after the match at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard’s troubles began at the end of added time when he received a yellow card for a foul on Brentford’s Fabio Carvalho, heralding a turbulent end to the match.
As the final whistle blew, an altercation broke out between Cucurella and Brentford striker Kevin Schade, resulting in a second yellow card for the Chelsea defender, described as “aggressive behavior” in the referee’s report. Schade also received disciplinary action and was cautioned for his involvement in the incident.
The timing of this suspension is particularly delicate for Chelsea, who will see Cucurella miss their next league meeting against Everton this Sunday. However, he was cleared to take part in the Europa Conference League match against Shamrock Rovers on Thursday.
This is not the first time Cucurella has faced a suspension this season; he had already been forced to sit out a game after accumulating five yellow cards in Chelsea’s first seven games. With six yellow cards to his name this season, the left-back is on a tightrope, as the accumulation of ten warnings would result in a two-match suspension.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca approached the incident cautiously, saying: “I didn’t see the second yellow card. The referee mentioned it was for bad attitude, and there are aspects that we need to improve.”
Cucurella’s suspension means Maresca will have to rethink his game plan for this crucial match against Everton. Nonetheless, Chelsea fans can hold out hope that Cucurella will return in time for their Boxing Day clash against Fulham.
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