England's post-Kane era finally looks far more rosy

Santos, Doak & eight best Premier League loanees of the season

How it feels to beat Lionel Messi

Saudi Arabia or MLS beckons for Pogba after Juve release

Why Man Utd & Liverpool both want Argentine teen Soler

'Please leave him alone!' - Deschamps sends out Mbappe plea

Mendes responds to Ronaldo criticism of Portugal players

Ronaldo stunner the cherry on top for five-star Portugal 

Where's Leo?! Messi invisible as Argentina upset by Paraguay

Amorim told he's already made his first mistake at Man Utd

How to watch Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson from anywhere

Vini's nightmare goes on as Brazil drop more WCQ points

Twellman reportedly investigated for physical altercation

Manchester City

Manchester United

Liverpool

Arsenal

Chelsea

Other

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Cucurella enjoying renaissance at Chelsea</li><li>Maresca says he's a "very important player"</li><li>Blues could do with "seven players" like him</li></ul>

'He's very important' - Enzo Maresca lavishes praise on Marc Cucurella and insists he needs 'seven' players like him in his Chelsea team

Premier League

Leicester

Bournemouth

Brighton

Ahead of the Spaniard facing his old Brighton side this weekend, Chelsea head coach Maresca was asked about the left-back's performances this season. The former Leicester City boss heaped praise on the 26-year-old and said that he improves his team-mates, too.

WHAT HAPPENED?

He told reporters on Friday: "Marc [Cucurella] is very important. Marc has something that you sometimes struggle to find in players. He is good and he is making the players around him good because he is a guy who is always talking, always demanding. If you can have five, six or seven players like Marc in your team, who are always talking about improving the rest, it’s very important. So I’m very happy with Marc."

WHAT ENZO MARESCA SAID

After a difficult year or so for Chelsea, following his £62 million ($83m) switch from Brighton in 2022, Cucurella has come into his own for his club and Spain especially in 2024. He played a key role in his <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/sexy-football-back-england-inspiration-spain-euro-2024-preparing-2026-world-cup/bltea9e19a341775f12" target="_blank">country's Euro 2024 triumph</a> and the full-back appears to have carried that form into this season with Maresca's side.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Cucurella is likely to start for his Chelsea team - who sit fifth in the Premier League - at home to Brighton on Saturday afternoon, before taking on Gent in the Europa Conference League next Thursday.

WHAT NEXT?

'He's very important' - Enzo Maresca lavishes praise on Marc Cucurella and insists he needs 'seven' players like him in his Chelsea team | Goal.com

Enzo Maresca says Marc Cucurella is &quot;very important&quot; to Chelsea and that he needs &quot;seven players&quot; like him in his side.

&apos;He&apos;s very important&apos; - Enzo Maresca lavishes praise on Marc Cucurella and insists he needs &apos;seven&apos; players like him in his Chelsea team