Marc Cucurella injury fears drop after what full back did after substitution

Marc Cucurella has just been taken off after playing 80 minutes for Chelsea in their first game of the season.

The left back looked injured, pointing to his leg and gesturing towards the bench to get the message across as he grimaced.

This has led to some worrying descriptions from the commentators and pundits online that he had a “knock” or a proper injury, but we’re fairly sure it was just some severe cramp taking hold in his hamstring.

That’s only to be expected given the strange summer he’s had. After winning the Euros with Spain he was given an extended holiday, returning from that to go right in at the deep end against Inter Milan in our friendly last weekend. We’re sure the plan was to take him off at some stage today in any case, and this just forced the inevitable.

Cucurella was able to walk off and limp around the edge of the pitch to the dugout, which rather confirmed to us our suspicions that it’s fatigue and cramp rather than anything more serious.

Enzo’s preferences confirmed by left back sub

It was summer signing Renato Veiga who came on to replace Cucurella, following Ben Chilwell’s surprising exclusion from the matchday squad. This was predictable, in that the same change was made against Inter.

We’re still left wondering if this really is because Maresca prefers Veiga and his style of play to Chilwell? Or has the coach been told to leave the England international out because the club want to force him out in order to balance the books?

Given we were 1-0 down, it’s had to think of a better attacking full back option than Chilwell to bring on as we chase a goal. Veiga might go on to be a good player, but he’s certainly less attacking and far less experienced.