{"id":4033,"date":"2026-05-05T03:58:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T03:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=4033"},"modified":"2026-05-05T03:58:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T03:58:24","slug":"might-be-the-most-overrated-player-weve-ever-had","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=4033","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMight be the most overrated player we\u2019ve ever had\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content\" data-postid=\"5163113\" data-slug-id=\"2777512\">\n<div class=\"vidazoo-player-container\">\n<span class=\"vidazoo-close-btn  hidden \"><br \/>\n<img data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/cmc-predictor\/v2\/cross-icon.png?w=40\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"close\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Chelsea fans online were left disappointed with Marc Cucurella&#8217;s showing in their 3-1 loss to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on May 4. The Blues haven&#8217;t been enjoying a good season, with two coaches being sacked in the span of a season. <\/p>\n<p>Nottingham Forest took home three crucial points against Chelsea, as Taiwo Awoniyi scored a brace (2&#8242; and 52&#8242;). Igor Jesus also scored in the first half from the penalty spot (15&#8242;). The Blues&#8217; Joao Pedro denied them a clean sheet, finding the back of the net during stoppage time (90+3&#8242;). <\/p>\n<p><template id=\"template__newsletter-inline-banner-form-combo-widget\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<p><img id=\"subscribe-img\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Thanks for the submission!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<p>Marc Cucurella assisted Chelsea&#8217;s only goal of the game, but delivered an overall poor performance in the backline. The Spaniard recorded only three defensive contributions, one interception, and seven recoveries in 90 minutes of gameplay.<\/p>\n<p><template id=\"also-read-articles-template\"><\/p>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<p>Fans took to X to react to Marc Cucurella&#8217;s performance in the clash vs Nottingham, with one user writing:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Cucurella might be the most overrated player we&#8217;ve ever had.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Some other fans shared their thoughts: <\/p>\n<p>Fans continued to share their thoughts on Cucurella&#8217;s showing: <\/p>\n<p>Chelsea are currently ninth in the Premier League, with 48 points from 35 games. They are struggling to secure European football for next season and have been through a difficult situation, having lost two coaches in a span of four months. Calum McFarlane remains in charge on an interim basis, with the Blues looking to secure a new coach this summer. <\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<h2>When Chelsea star Marc Cucurella said it would be difficult to reject a Barcelona return<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"image\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sk-app-thumbnail\" alt=\"Cucurella - Source: Getty\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg\"\/><img class=\"lazy-img\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1325\" data-img=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg 1920w\" alt=\"Cucurella - Source: Getty\" data-img-low=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/editor\/2026\/05\/67fc5-17779139727286-1920.jpg?w=640\" bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,&lt;svg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%201325%22&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;\"\/><figcaption>Cucurella &#8211; Source: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In an interview ahead of a Spain vs Egypt friendly (h\/t ESPN), Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella claimed it would be difficult to reject an offer to return to Barcelona. Cucurella hails from Barca&#8217;s famed academy, La Masia. He said:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;It would be difficult to reject (Bar\u00e7a). And not just for me. I would have to think about my family as well. If (an offer) comes, it comes, and we will have to see what decision we would make.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>After rising through the ranks of the Barcelona academy, Marc Cucurella was a part of their squad for both the B team and the first team between 2017 and 2020. However, he spent most of his time on loan at LaLiga sides Getafe and Eibar. The Spaniard made only one senior team appearance for the Catalan side. <\/p>\n<p>Cucurella signed for the Blues in 2022, recording 159 appearances across competitions. His current contract runs until June 2028, but the Spain international remains an integral part of the Blues&#8217; plans and a regular starter at the club.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-post-rating-widget\">\n<p><template id=\"post-rating-feedback-modal-template\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-feedback-box\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-content\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-data\">\n<p>Why did you not like this content?<\/p>\n<p><textarea id=\"dislike-feedback-text\" rows=\"4\" placeholder=\"Please type your feedback...\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<button class=\"close\">Cancel<\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"submit\">Submit<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-widget-parent hidden\">\n<div class=\"rating-parent-container\">\n<div class=\"rating-content-holder\">\n<p>Was this article helpful?<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-action-container\">\n<div class=\"like-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-like-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"like\" title=\"like article\"><br \/>\n<img class=\"post-like-image post-rating-image\" data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"like selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dislike-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-dislike-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"dislike\" title=\"dislike article\"><br \/>\n<img class=\"post-dis-like-image post-rating-image\" data-lazy=\"\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"avatar selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thank You for feedback\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tag-cloud\">\n<div class=\"tags-text\">\n<div class=\"scrollable-content-holder  article-padding\">\n<p class=\"article-p  \">Quick Links<\/p>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerLeft\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Left \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img style=\"background: none;\" data-lazy=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-left.svg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<nav id=\"pnProductNav\" class=\"pn-ProductNav\">\n<\/nav>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerRight\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Right \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img style=\"background: none;\" data-lazy=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-right.svg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<p>More from Sportskeeda<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<span class=\"publisher-name\">Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chelsea fans online were left disappointed with Marc Cucurella&#8217;s showing in their 3-1 loss to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4034,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}