Cucurella criticises Madrid’s start: “There are things we’re doing wrong”

Marc Cucurella, Real Madrid’s full-back, discussed the club’s situation in an interview on El Larguero while Spain’s squad was in camp ahead of Nations League matches. He focused on how he’s settling in and also pointed out areas the team needs to improve following a patchy start.

Settling in, step by step

On life at the club, Cucurella highlighted the coach’s personality. “Mourinho surprised me… he’s very good-hearted and always in a good mood,” he said, adding that he wants “to keep working with him” and have a successful period, as Mundo Deportivo reported.

He also explained the Madrid style and why it can feel demanding at first. “Different styles… in Madrid, because of our players’ traits, we like to run and attack very quickly,” he said, though sometimes that means covering more ground. He argued that results before the break weren’t at the team’s best level, framing it as “a process”.

The balance to find

Cucurella stressed the importance of building a strong base and reaching the season’s end with confidence: “If we find a good balance… we have the talent,” he said. He also noted that other teams have their own plans and that Madrid is still “finishing adjusting things”.

Timing matters

He spoke about his own role going forward, suggesting that the timing doesn’t always allow him to get into the box because the attackers sprint on. He pointed out the connection with Vinícius is still developing: “With Vini we’ve barely had training matches,” he said, adding that it needs time to grow.

Finally, he called for smarter game management—knowing when to press fast and when to slow down and control the ball—“so we’re closer to recover after.” According to the interview, he’s only been there about a month, with little pre-season, and the team is still identifying what needs to be corrected, even if he sees “green shoots” in a connected squad.