Cucurella: Real Madrid's Start Isn't Easy Due to Lack of Integration Time

Real Madrid's summer signing, Marc Cucurella, has admitted he's still adapting to his new team's playing style. The World Cup winner arrived at the Bernabéu from Chelsea in a €55 million transfer.

Marc Cucurella, 28, had a whirlwind summer. After winning the World Cup with Spain, he made a significant club switch, moving from Chelsea to Real Madrid for €55 million. In an interview with "AS," the left-back confessed that he's still finding his rhythm within Madrid's playing philosophy, which differs considerably from the national team's approach.

“The styles at Real and with the Spanish national team are different,” Cucurella told “AS.” “At Real Madrid, due to the characteristics of our players, we love to run and launch very quick attacks. This often requires more physical exertion. We didn't finish the period before the break in the best way. All of this is part of a process.”

Cucurella noted that he hasn't yet found perfect synergy with Vinicius Junior, who operates on his flank.

“It's not easy. We're still ironing out the details. For example, since I share the flank with Vini, we barely had any friendly matches and went straight into official ones. For him, the connection with me is different from what he's had with other full-backs. It's a process, and I understand it needs to happen gradually. We're also playing a lot of games, so it's hard to work on it. I like what I see, and his commitment, because that might not be his strongest suit. I see Vinicius working for the team, trying to contribute, and that's a good start.”

The former Brighton player, a Barcelona academy product, also highlighted another unique aspect in Madrid: the attacking prowess of Vinicius, Kylian Mbappé, and Jude Bellingham often limits his own offensive runs. “Often, when I want to attack, they move so quickly that they've already taken a shot, and I don't have time,” he explained. “Vinicius, Mbappé, and Bellingham love to run, and when we, the defenders, win the ball, the attack is already moving forward, and we continue. For example, it might be harder for full-backs to reach the byline because we lack time. They will have to adapt to our style. Perhaps there are moments in the game where we need to hold the ball longer, control the play better, because that allows the entire team to settle in the opponent's half. If we lose the ball, we're closer to react. These are things that need to be considered, especially since we had almost no pre-season preparation this summer.”

“I, for instance, started on August 10th, which was only a month ago,” Cucurella recalled. “Normally, pre-season lasts a month with friendlies to get to know each other and get into rhythm. This year, everything is happening a bit hastily. We have things to improve, aspects we don't manage well, but we also see many encouraging signs. The level is high, and I think with time, we can build an excellent team.”