Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has already made his feelings clear on German supporters booing Marc Cucurella.
Cucurella, 26, has been subjected to boos in Spain’s UEFA Nations League semi-final and final in recent days following an incident which occurred at Euro 2024.
Fans were left stunned to hear the whistles and boos directed towards the Chelsea left-back, in Stuttgart and Munich, especially given the fact that Spain played France and Portugal in this week’s fixtures and not Germany.
But there is an explanation.
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In extra time of Spain’s Euros quarter-final against Germany last summer, the left-back appeared to block a shot with his hand; however, to the dismay of the home fans, no penalty was awarded, and the hosts subsequently went out due to Mikel Merino’s last-gasp goal.
And many German football fans are clearly not over what happened last summer.
Cucurella himself, at least publicly, seems unbothered by the treatment he has suffered.
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Speaking to La Vanguardia in the summer of 2024, Cucurella said: "When I returned to the Brighton pitch with Chelsea, I had been booed a lot too, even more.
“I think a lot of people had bought their tickets ahead of time, and I imagine they were whistling through my hands. But these are things that happen, it’s not something that affects me.
“The truth is that going to a field where your team is not playing and, instead of enjoying a semi-final, spend the time whistling, I don’t think it’s necessary. I’m not saying this for myself, but you could be enjoying a really good game.”
His manager, De la Fuente, also gave his take on the situation during a press conference in 2024.
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The 63-year-old said: “No, I don’t know why they booed him, to be honest. I have no idea. But the only thing they did was to motivate him. He’s a great professional, a really mature player, and he knew how to overcome the pressure.
“In any case, I am against any disrespect. I know the people who booed him do not represent Germany as a host company.”
Topics: Marc Cucurella, Spain, Germany, Football, UEFA Nations League, Euro 2024
Luke Davies