No More Books for the Scapegoat: Cucurella Faces German Fury Again
Spanish victor Cucurella remains undeterred by potential German wrath following his European triumph
Remember the infamous scene from July 5, 2024? The Spanish defender, Cucurella, was hit by a shot from Jamal Musiala during the EM quarter-final against Germany. The English referee, Anthony Taylor, let the game go on despite the clear handball - Spain wins 2:1, claiming the European championship. The German fans weren't mad at the ref, though. They were after Cucurella.
Cucurella, currently playing for Chelsea, is back to the "crime scene," this time in Stuttgart for the Nations League semi-final against France. Expect the boos to echo once more. With a confident attitude, Cucurella said, "I think I'll be booed again, but it's just part of football."
The Handball Scandal that Rocked Football
That handball incident was a turning point in Cucurella's career, becoming a hot topic of debate. Despite admitting that a penalty should have been given, the UEFA Referees Committee argued against punishing similar handballs at the time[5]. The German audience, fueled by media criticism, made Cucurella the scapegoat for Germany's missed opportunity to win the home EM. Cucurella was booed even at the final in Berlin by the disgruntled spectators.
A Second Act in Stuttgart
Cucurella, now ready to face the crowd again, has embraced the situation as an advantage for his teammates. The focus on him could potentially relieve pressure from others[4]. With a history-making win in the final against France, Cucurella and Spain might find themselves face to face with the German national team in the Nations League final, but this time in Munich.
source: ntv.de, sue/sid
- Football EM 2024
- Spain
- Video Assistant Referee
- Football National Team
- Nations League
- Controversial Handball Incident
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The UEFA Referees Committee has since admitted their mistake in not awarding a penalty for the handball[5]. The committee stated that in similar scenarios, a penalty should have been given, suggesting that Cucurella's incident was indeed a handball that deserved a penalty. Despite this, the decision remained unchanged during the Euro 2024 tournament, leading to widespread criticism and boos from the German fans. The incident has become a significant controversy, especially when Cucurella plays in Germany.
After the controversial handball incident in the European Championship of 2024, Cucurella faced persistent boos from German fans, turning him into an unlikely scapegoat. As he prepares to return to Germany for the Nations League semi-final against France, Cucurella, now playing for Chelsea, remains undeterred, viewing the boos as just another part of football and potentially an advantage for his teammates.
