Marc Cucurella says leaving Barcelona to play regular first-team football was one of the best decisions of his life – and it's ultimately what set the Spaniard on the path to joining Chelsea this summer in a deal worth £62million.
During his formative years in Barcelona's academy – which he joined from Catalan rivals Espanyol at 13 years old – the defender earned comparisons to club legend Carles Puyol. His tenacity was valued, his commitment lauded. Throw in Cucurella's technical prowess and few could deny a career in the professional game awaited the youngster.
The problem was Barcelona were set at left-back with Jordi Alba; there was little chance of Cucurella usurping the Spanish international. So in the summer of 2018, he joined Eibar on loan. A year later came a switch to Getafe, a move which was made permanent in June 2020.
READ MORE Every word Marc Cucurella said on joining Chelsea, Tottenham incident, Chilwell, Azpilicueta
To step away from the elite environment provided by Barcelona was a risk. Yet it was one Cucurella embraced. "Of course, it’s difficult because in my case, I had always stayed in Barcelona, my family is always here. It’s difficult to change to another city, another club, and the style is different," he explains.
"I understood I needed to go one step down to play a lot of minutes and play well. I think it was a long time - maybe four or five years – I stayed at maybe not the biggest clubs. But in my mind, I always focused on playing, and maybe one day I would have the opportunity [to sign with a big club]."
He adds: "I think maybe one of the best decisions in my life was leaving Barcelona to join maybe smaller teams. They give me opportunities. Maybe if I didn’t leave, I would have stayed on the bench for a long time and I never come here [to Chelsea]."
There was one more stop on Cucurella's journey to Stamford Bridge. That was Brighton and Hove Albion. The 24-year-old joined the Seagulls 12 months ago and quickly established himself as one of the Premier League's standout left-backs. But there was a tricky start.
"I remember my first game: Brentford away," Cucurella says with a smile. "When I finished the game, I was very frustrated. The team won but I didn’t play well and I thought I had maybe lost an opportunity. The next week I thought I'd start on the bench because we played against Leicester, a big club, but the gaffer gave me again the opportunity and I think this is the key for me.
"I remember this game: we won 2-1 and I played really really good. This is maybe the moment that changed me or my life because maybe if the coach put me on the bench, maybe I lose my confidence and I never play to this level."
Under impressive Brighton head coach Graham Potter, Cucurella's development accelerated. His Barcelona-schooled technique ensured he wasn't overawed in the Premier League and such were his defensive qualities that Potter felt confident utilising Cucurella on the left of a back three.
It's a position the Spain international had not previously played – and his first outing in the role came against Chelsea. It was a daunting prospect. "I never imagined playing in this position," he says. "I remember seeing the line-up and I seeing I was playing left centre-back, I was scared because I was like, 'woah I’m playing against [Romelu] Lukaku, it’s impossible for me'.
"I don’t know why but I played very well. Maybe because I liked the style of the team; they helped me a lot and I was very confident with them. It’s a new position for me but I have played a lot of games and with this new role, I have more chances to play every game."
Chelsea's interest in signing Cucurella this summer, who cites Puyol and former Chelsea centre-back David Luiz as influential players in his youth, was nothing new. The Blues first considered a move for the full-back when he was impressing at Getafe. He was on Thomas Tuchel's radar even earlier.
"Thomas saw me when I played in the Barcelona academy, then at Eibar and Getafe," he says. "I didn’t know this but he told me on my first day. I was very surprised. It’s good for me because they saw me in different teams and this is good for me to take more opportunities here.
"I am very happy because when I arrived, I feel the group is very unified, with a good atmosphere. All the players are happy and this is good because I had never been in [a first-team squad] at a big club. I was maybe a little bit nervous in the first days. But I think the atmosphere was really good, just normal people.
"The quality of the players is so high, the training is really good. And after, in the games, like last Sunday [against Tottenham] I see all the players run. So if I fail, another player will help me. When the teammates help each other in the team, these are the teams that win trophies."
But what has he made of his new teammates? "I like so much the style of play of Reece James. For me, he’s a good player because he plays right-back and it’s a similar position. But I think the biggest curiosity for me before coming here was [N'Golo] Kante because I read a lot that he’s very quiet, very human. I think this is true and I was very happy to meet him."
There is also, of course, Ben Chilwell, the England international who Cucurella will be competing against this season for the starting left wing-back role in Tuchel's system. It's a battle the Spaniard is prepared for and one he knows will not be easy given Chilwell's quality.
"In these big clubs always you have competition in your position," Cucurella says. "There is a high level. When you have competition you have more confidence to work hard. If I was alone – or he was alone – you can think, 'if I don’t train well, no problem, because I always play'. So it’s better for me, for him, and for the team."
He adds: "There are big players here who have won the Champions League and the World Cup, [they are] very important players.
"I remember with my family, we came to London and on our way back to Brighton, we drove in front of Stamford Bridge. I remember I said to my wife, ‘imagine one day playing in this stadium’. Then this summer, I had this opportunity. I think this is a dream for me, playing in this big club."
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