The Chelsea star player is improving and fitting into Pochettino’s plans by working on their mindset

The Chelsea player is improving and fitting into Pochettino’s plans by working on their mindset

Marc Cucucrella’s rise to the first team this season has been slow but steady.

Nobody really saw him as being in the picture, given Levi Colwill made the left back position his own from day one of the season, with Ben Chilwell also fit at the time.

The injury to Chilwell bumped Cucurella up the pecking order, and he then capitalised on a few chances to establish himself as a trusted left sided defensive option ahead of Ian Maatsen, whom Pochettino clearly considers a proper winger.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Cucurella was open about his tricky start to life at Chelsea, especially this season.

“I’m not happy with my first season, but I can learn a lot, especially in the bad moments,” Cucurella admitted.

“I can learn when I need to manage the head because that is so important in football. Before I came here, I always played and played well and never had problems like this.

“But here when I came, I didn’t play at my level, I’m a little bit frustrated and I can learn to manage this. Now I can show them that I’m very happy here and all the things I learnt last season, I can put here in this season.

“I think this season is better. I’m very good mentally and I think this is one of the important things because if you are good mentally and in your life, I think you can you can play better, you can help the team and you can enjoy this.”

Colwill is now out injured too, and even though his issue doesn’t seem serious, it should buy a few more weeks for Cucurella to embed himself deeper into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. The idea he’s first on the “for sale” list now feels distant.