Chelsea defenders Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella have been criticised for their performances against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg. The two players were signed for a combined fee of £140million last summer but have not yet proven to be worth the huge figures they arrived for.
Fofana has been hampered by injuries throughout his debut season at Stamford Bridge, whilst Cucurella has been played as a left-sided centre-back for much of the campaign. The Blues suffered a second defeat in a row under Frank Lampard following Graham Potter's dismissal.
Chelsea are yet to score following the March international break, but there remain problems in defence for the west Londoners. Fofana's performance at the Santiago Bernabeu was limited after he picked up an early yellow card, whilst Cucurella came off the bench to replace the injured Kalidou Koulibaly.
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Jan Boskamp and Wesley Sneijder both criticised Cucurella and Fofana for their poor performances against Madrid as the Blues now face a tough task of overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit. "Really unbelievable," Boskamp said regarding the Spaniard.
"I can imagine that boy playing as a full back, but as a [centre-back] he had no idea. That happens regularly because he can’t defend at all. It was really very mediocre and I’m saying it nicely," Sneijder added, before putting the boot in to fellow summer recruit Wesley Fofana: "Who brings in a guy [Cucurella] like that?
“There are a few more like that running around. That Wesley Fofana too, recruited for £75million, that really is a waste of money. Maybe the pressure is too high at such a big club."
Jamie Carragher was similarly critical of Cucurella, insisting his body position was all wrong in the lead up to Ben Chilwell's red card. Speaking on CBS Sports, Carragher explained: “When you play in Europe, it feels different from playing in the Premier League.
"At times it’s slower – it almost feels like a charity game! Look at everyone, how slow everyone is.
“And this, for me, is European football: how Real Madrid change the pace of this game. Everyone stood still, standing in position, then Rodrygo gets his touch and before you know it: 'Boom!' The pace in the game is quick.
"But look at the body position here of Rodrygo compared to Cucurella. He is already on his way, Cucurella still hasn’t changed his body position to run back and on the far side, Ben Chilwell, when one of your centre-backs steps out the wing-back has to come in and fill that space.
"You can’t do everything you’d like to do as a defender [against rapid players]. You’d like to be tight and aggressive, but you’ve also got to remember who you’re playing against.
"Rodrygo is lightning-quick, so you can’t go fully in. Cucurella doesn’t go fully in, he gives himself a couple of yards – which is okay – but his problem is he doesn’t react!
"When the ball goes and [Rodrygo] spins, Cucurella is still like this [stood still]. He hasn’t changed the pace of the game and understood what is happening in that game.
"You’ve got be on your bike and go! And even if you go early, the player might then stop and get the ball to his feet – no problem, you’ve still go your back five in position.
"But the big thing is knowing the players that you’re up against; the quality on the ball in midfield from Madrid – I think it was Valverde, but Modric or Kroos could have played that pass."
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