Cucurella highlights Mourinho's qualities and explains the Real Madrid fans' chants
Made his first appearance at the Bernabéu
Marc Cucurella will never forget his first night at the Santiago Bernabeu as a Real Madrid player.
Real Madrid saw off Real Sociedad 4-1, and the evening carried extra meaning for Cucurella. Not only did he play his first game at the Bernabeu in a Madrid shirt, he was also honoured for his standout showing at the last World Cup.
He laughed off the tribute and the moment Oyarzabal left him alone in front of the fans. "The man left me there on my own, out in the open (laughs), but it's fine, I'm happy. It was a very important and special day."
"I don't think you can ask for more: to receive this tribute in a stadium like this, in front of our fans, and then a win for the team, which put in a great performance. It's a very beautiful day for me," he continued.
A special year for Cucurella
What a year. Cucurella has won the World Cup, signed for Real Madrid and presented the trophy at the Bernabeu.
"It's true that a lot is happening, but I'm very happy and I'm enjoying every moment," he said. "To get here, and to achieve all of this, I had to work hard. I think this is a reward for all the work I've done, and I hope we can have more joys together."
Vinicius, Kylian and Bellingham stole the show. Cucurella knows how much their partnership matters, stressing "that they are very important; they pose a threat from anywhere and are capable of scoring goals. They were decisive and put in a great performance, but as well as the goals, we must also highlight the effort they made: how they pressed, how they ran until they were substituted."
"Little by little, we'll get to know each other better, keep improving, and do what the coach asks of us. It's a great start," he added.
The fans set a high bar, and he embraces it. "We understand that the fans are very demanding. They've watched great players, great matches, and won many titles. That's not a bad thing (some jeers), it motivates us and reminds us that we can't ease off. The fans want us to give our all for this shirt, and when we give our all, we may win on some days and not win on others, but in the end the results will come."
Asked about the mood in the squad and Mourinho's management, he replied: "I'm very happy. He's doing a great job, and we're seeing the fruits of our efforts little by little. There are some players we haven't had enough time to prepare, but he manages it excellently. We have a very talented team, and it doesn't matter who plays. What matters is that we are always ready and that we give our all for the team."
Cucurella keeps his promise
Cucurella keeps his word. He got a tattoo to mark the World Cup, and when asked whether he would find the nerve for another should he win the Champions League in Madrid, he said: "We'll see, things don't always go as we wish, and you have to keep your promises. What I promised had to be done, and I'm very happy. It would be a great achievement, we'll see."
His Bernabeu debug went to plan. "Things went well. I think I was going to strike a ball, but things got a bit complicated and it gradually got called off. It's my first match here and I'm happy with my performance. We got a great result, and we hope to repeat it on Sunday (Malaga)."
