Latest news with #CHEMUN
South Wales Guardian
17-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Enzo Maresca points to Marc Cucurella's Barcelona connections after Chelsea win
The 26-year-old got on the end of Reece James' cross in the 71st minute to power home his seventh goal of the season and rescue the Blues just as two vital points looked to be slipping away. Until that point Maresca's side were heading into the final day of the Premier League season needing results elsewhere to go their way, after Aston Villa had briefly climbed above them by beating Tottenham in the earlier kick-off. 'Very nice, the assist from the right full-back, the goal from the left full-back,' said Maresca. 'It's the way I like to play. CUCU'S WINNER! 🔥#CFC | #CHEMUN — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 16, 2025 'Marc has already scored similar goals against Brentford and Wolves. He was in the right position at the right moment. 'It's not about how big you are or how small or tall. He is an intelligent player and he is helping us with goals.' Cucurella has been Chelsea's most improved player this season and looks transformed from the uncertain, error-prone defender that arrived from Brighton for £56million in 2022. If his goal to defeat United contributes to Champions League qualification he will have gone a long way towards repaying that fee, and the faith shown in him by successive Chelsea managers. A product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, he made only one senior appearance for the Catalan club in a Copa del Rey fixture before being sold to Getafe in 2020, moving to the Amex Stadium a year later. A vintage Reece James performance, with an assist to match 🤤@Oracle — Premier League (@premierleague) May 16, 2025 'He has a background with Barcelona so he grew up in a club where the philosophy that I like is similar,' said Maresca. 'So the reason he is doing so good with us is because we know what he can do. The way we like to play is exactly the way that is good for him. 'It's not important how big you are, it's important to understand where you have to be, the position, the moment.' Victory away to Nottingham Forest next Sunday will confirm Chelsea's return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023. And 16th-place United could join them despite having lost six of their last eight and in the league and being winless since March 16. Not the result we came for. But your support never wavers 👏#MUFC || #CHEMUN — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 16, 2025 Defeat here was their 18th in the league this season with the club already condemned to their lowest Premier League finish. Boss Ruben Amorim's mind was predictably on next week's Europa League final against Spurs in Bilbao that will determine their European fate next season. 'Nothing is going to change this season,' he said. 'The best way is to prepare the final, try to win a trophy this season and prepare the next one. 'We know that we are in a season that we are struggling a lot, but we cannot do anything that is in the past. We need to look at the present and the present is to prepare the final.'
North Wales Chronicle
17-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Enzo Maresca points to Marc Cucurella's Barcelona connections after Chelsea win
The 26-year-old got on the end of Reece James' cross in the 71st minute to power home his seventh goal of the season and rescue the Blues just as two vital points looked to be slipping away. Until that point Maresca's side were heading into the final day of the Premier League season needing results elsewhere to go their way, after Aston Villa had briefly climbed above them by beating Tottenham in the earlier kick-off. 'Very nice, the assist from the right full-back, the goal from the left full-back,' said Maresca. 'It's the way I like to play. CUCU'S WINNER! 🔥#CFC | #CHEMUN — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 16, 2025 'Marc has already scored similar goals against Brentford and Wolves. He was in the right position at the right moment. 'It's not about how big you are or how small or tall. He is an intelligent player and he is helping us with goals.' Cucurella has been Chelsea's most improved player this season and looks transformed from the uncertain, error-prone defender that arrived from Brighton for £56million in 2022. If his goal to defeat United contributes to Champions League qualification he will have gone a long way towards repaying that fee, and the faith shown in him by successive Chelsea managers. A product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, he made only one senior appearance for the Catalan club in a Copa del Rey fixture before being sold to Getafe in 2020, moving to the Amex Stadium a year later. A vintage Reece James performance, with an assist to match 🤤@Oracle — Premier League (@premierleague) May 16, 2025 'He has a background with Barcelona so he grew up in a club where the philosophy that I like is similar,' said Maresca. 'So the reason he is doing so good with us is because we know what he can do. The way we like to play is exactly the way that is good for him. 'It's not important how big you are, it's important to understand where you have to be, the position, the moment.' Victory away to Nottingham Forest next Sunday will confirm Chelsea's return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023. And 16th-place United could join them despite having lost six of their last eight and in the league and being winless since March 16. Not the result we came for. But your support never wavers 👏#MUFC || #CHEMUN — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 16, 2025 Defeat here was their 18th in the league this season with the club already condemned to their lowest Premier League finish. Boss Ruben Amorim's mind was predictably on next week's Europa League final against Spurs in Bilbao that will determine their European fate next season. 'Nothing is going to change this season,' he said. 'The best way is to prepare the final, try to win a trophy this season and prepare the next one. 'We know that we are in a season that we are struggling a lot, but we cannot do anything that is in the past. We need to look at the present and the present is to prepare the final.'
North Wales Chronicle
17-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Marc Cucurella keeps Chelsea Champions League hopes on track in win over Man Utd
With 20 minutes remaining at Stamford Bridge the Blues were set to head into the final day of the Premier League season with their top-five fate out of their hands, with more poor finishing seemingly condemning them to two crucial points dropped and a third straight season out of Europe's top competition. News that Aston Villa had beaten Tottenham in the earlier kick-off and had leapt ahead of Enzo Maresca's side only added to the tension amongst home fans, which turned to frustration as the enormity of their team's predicament came grimly into focus. What a season in front of goal for Marc! 👏#CFC | #CHEMUN — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 16, 2025 Then appeared in the box the ebullient, untameable Cucurella, by far Chelsea's most improved player in the last 12 months and the scorer this season of seven goals – though none as valuable as this – slipping his man to head Reece James' cross past Andre Onana in the 71st minute and redeem a desperate situation. A win away to Nottingham Forest next Sunday will confirm a top-five finish. Chelsea were the better team in the first half, for what that was worth against a United side that had lost five of their last seven in the league and had not won in two months. Maresca had recently lamented his side's wastefulness in front of goal this season – the Blues had the second-highest number of big chances missed in the league before kick-off – and Noni Madueke presented the latest. A brilliant burst through the midfield by Moises Caicedo began the move, knocking the ball centrally to Cole Palmer whose cross to the back post was met first time by Madueke but with the exactitude only to hoist the ball high into the Shed End. 👊 @HarryMaguire93#MUFC || #CHEMUN — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 16, 2025 A fractional VAR call then saved Chelsea when Harry Maguire was judged to have strayed offside by inches before turning Bruno Fernandes' pass beyond Robert Sanchez. Mason Mount, on his first start on the ground against the club he represented for 12 years, drew taunts from home fans when his first-time shot bobbled out of play for a throw-in, before his former academy team-mate James had a thunderous 20-yard effort thud against a post. The flag spared Enzo Fernandez his blushes when he skied over with the goal gaping after Onana had made a feeble job of handling Palmer's bending shot. Replays showed Fernandez probably was offside, but the moment did nothing to alleviate Maresca's anxieties about his team's ability to convert chances. VAR intervened this time on United's side midway through the second half. Tyrique George tumbled as Onana raced out to meet him in pursuit of a through-ball. Referee Chris Kavanagh said penalty but a pitchside review confirmed the goalkeeper had made no contact. What a three points for Chelsea!! They move back up to fourth with one match remaining in their push for Champions League qualification!#CHEMUN — Premier League (@premierleague) May 16, 2025 Then, finally, relief for Chelsea. Pedro Neto played the ball back to James, who with a balletic pirouette corkscrewed away from Alejandro Garnacho and whipped an irresistible cross to where Cucurella was arriving, the defender's thumped header flashing past Onana into the corner. Madueke then penned a footnote to his personal anthology of missed chances, slicing wide when clean through on goal. Sanchez produced a good near-post stop to keep out Amad Diallo, the only moment in the second half when United really threatened.
Rhyl Journal
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Enzo Maresca points to Marc Cucurella's Barcelona connections after Chelsea win
The 26-year-old got on the end of Reece James' cross in the 71st minute to power home his seventh goal of the season and rescue the Blues just as two vital points looked to be slipping away. Until that point Maresca's side were heading into the final day of the Premier League season needing results elsewhere to go their way, after Aston Villa had briefly climbed above them by beating Tottenham in the earlier kick-off. 'Very nice, the assist from the right full-back, the goal from the left full-back,' said Maresca. 'It's the way I like to play. CUCU'S WINNER! 🔥#CFC | #CHEMUN — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 16, 2025 'Marc has already scored similar goals against Brentford and Wolves. He was in the right position at the right moment. 'It's not about how big you are or how small or tall. He is an intelligent player and he is helping us with goals.' Cucurella has been Chelsea's most improved player this season and looks transformed from the uncertain, error-prone defender that arrived from Brighton for £56million in 2022. If his goal to defeat United contributes to Champions League qualification he will have gone a long way towards repaying that fee, and the faith shown in him by successive Chelsea managers. A product of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy, he made only one senior appearance for the Catalan club in a Copa del Rey fixture before being sold to Getafe in 2020, moving to the Amex Stadium a year later. A vintage Reece James performance, with an assist to match 🤤@Oracle — Premier League (@premierleague) May 16, 2025 'He has a background with Barcelona so he grew up in a club where the philosophy that I like is similar,' said Maresca. 'So the reason he is doing so good with us is because we know what he can do. The way we like to play is exactly the way that is good for him. 'It's not important how big you are, it's important to understand where you have to be, the position, the moment.' Victory away to Nottingham Forest next Sunday will confirm Chelsea's return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023. And 16th-place United could join them despite having lost six of their last eight and in the league and being winless since March 16. Not the result we came for. But your support never wavers 👏#MUFC || #CHEMUN — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 16, 2025 Defeat here was their 18th in the league this season with the club already condemned to their lowest Premier League finish. Boss Ruben Amorim's mind was predictably on next week's Europa League final against Spurs in Bilbao that will determine their European fate next season. 'Nothing is going to change this season,' he said. 'The best way is to prepare the final, try to win a trophy this season and prepare the next one. 'We know that we are in a season that we are struggling a lot, but we cannot do anything that is in the past. We need to look at the present and the present is to prepare the final.'
Rhyl Journal
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Marc Cucurella keeps Chelsea Champions League hopes on track in win over Man Utd
With 20 minutes remaining at Stamford Bridge the Blues were set to head into the final day of the Premier League season with their top-five fate out of their hands, with more poor finishing seemingly condemning them to two crucial points dropped and a third straight season out of Europe's top competition. News that Aston Villa had beaten Tottenham in the earlier kick-off and had leapt ahead of Enzo Maresca's side only added to the tension amongst home fans, which turned to frustration as the enormity of their team's predicament came grimly into focus. What a season in front of goal for Marc! 👏#CFC | #CHEMUN — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 16, 2025 Then appeared in the box the ebullient, untameable Cucurella, by far Chelsea's most improved player in the last 12 months and the scorer this season of seven goals – though none as valuable as this – slipping his man to head Reece James' cross past Andre Onana in the 71st minute and redeem a desperate situation. A win away to Nottingham Forest next Sunday will confirm a top-five finish. Chelsea were the better team in the first half, for what that was worth against a United side that had lost five of their last seven in the league and had not won in two months. Maresca had recently lamented his side's wastefulness in front of goal this season – the Blues had the second-highest number of big chances missed in the league before kick-off – and Noni Madueke presented the latest. A brilliant burst through the midfield by Moises Caicedo began the move, knocking the ball centrally to Cole Palmer whose cross to the back post was met first time by Madueke but with the exactitude only to hoist the ball high into the Shed End. 👊 @HarryMaguire93#MUFC || #CHEMUN — Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 16, 2025 A fractional VAR call then saved Chelsea when Harry Maguire was judged to have strayed offside by inches before turning Bruno Fernandes' pass beyond Robert Sanchez. Mason Mount, on his first start on the ground against the club he represented for 12 years, drew taunts from home fans when his first-time shot bobbled out of play for a throw-in, before his former academy team-mate James had a thunderous 20-yard effort thud against a post. The flag spared Enzo Fernandez his blushes when he skied over with the goal gaping after Onana had made a feeble job of handling Palmer's bending shot. Replays showed Fernandez probably was offside, but the moment did nothing to alleviate Maresca's anxieties about his team's ability to convert chances. VAR intervened this time on United's side midway through the second half. Tyrique George tumbled as Onana raced out to meet him in pursuit of a through-ball. Referee Chris Kavanagh said penalty but a pitchside review confirmed the goalkeeper had made no contact. What a three points for Chelsea!! They move back up to fourth with one match remaining in their push for Champions League qualification!#CHEMUN — Premier League (@premierleague) May 16, 2025 Then, finally, relief for Chelsea. Pedro Neto played the ball back to James, who with a balletic pirouette corkscrewed away from Alejandro Garnacho and whipped an irresistible cross to where Cucurella was arriving, the defender's thumped header flashing past Onana into the corner. Madueke then penned a footnote to his personal anthology of missed chances, slicing wide when clean through on goal. Sanchez produced a good near-post stop to keep out Amad Diallo, the only moment in the second half when United really threatened.
