Chelsea’s Unique Comeback in the Derby: How It Happened

One of the most memorable matches in Marc Cucurella’s career.

On December 8, the Premier League saw arguably the most exciting game of the weekend. In a London derby, Chelsea returned from 0-2 down to defeat Tottenham Hotspur. The turning point? A change of boots by Chelsea’s Spanish defender, Marc Cucurella.

In the first 10 minutes, Cucurella “gifted” two goals to the opposition. The Spaniard slipped twice while in possession, leading to costly mistakes. Spurs ruthlessly capitalized both times. First, Dominic Solanke punished the error, followed by Dejan Kulusevski. Immediately after the second goal, Cucurella sprinted to the bench to change his boots. It turned out this change might have been pivotal for Chelsea.

Just six minutes later, sporting his new pair of boots, Cucurella assisted Jadon Sancho’s goal – sparking Chelsea’s comeback. Most of the action unfolded in the second half, with Chelsea scoring four unanswered goals. Even a late consolation goal by Tottenham during added time couldn’t alter the match's outcome. Notably, this victory marked Chelsea’s fourth consecutive win in the Premier League, propelling them to second place in the standings.

The fate of the original pair of boots became one of the match's unexpected talking points. Cucurella didn’t forgive them for their poor grip and promptly threw them in the trash. He even posted a photo of the discarded boots on social media, addressing fans: “Sorry, Blues.” Incidentally, the assist in his new boots was his first of the season, leading many to wonder if this pair could become his lucky charm. It seems a critical moment was needed to force a change, and the derby provided just that.

As for forgiveness, only some were so kind. Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher harshly criticized the Spanish defender’s performance.

“Cucurella goes to the bench. Don’t blame anyone else – it’s your own fault, son! Absolute schoolboy stuff. Embarrassing. He slipped again. Look at him shrugging. Did he not notice the problem during warm-up?” fumed Carragher on Sky Sports.

Perhaps Cucurella took a page from Mohamed Salah’s book. On January 1, 2024, Salah missed a penalty against Newcastle, switched boots at halftime, and scored a brace in the second half.

Published by Patrick Jane
09.12.2024