The Spain defender revisited a late collision with Traoré in the recent London derby between Chelsea and West Ham
Marc Cucurella became the focus of widespread attention after a bruising late collision during Chelsea’s match against West Ham produced one of the most talked about images of last weekend.
The Chelsea full-back was sent flying through the air in a clash with Adama Traoré that quickly spread across social media.
For Cucurella, the moment was not an accident of timing or circumstance. It was a conscious decision made in the heat of a match that was nearing its conclusion, with emotions running high and margins tight.
The incident occurred near the touchline late in the game, with the ball drifting towards the sideline and both players closing space aggressively.
Cucurella’s collision with Traoré was forceful enough to stop play and dramatic enough to dominate post-match discussion.
Still images captured the moment Cucurella was airborne, fuelling online debate and speculation over what had triggered the confrontation.
Rather than shy away from the attention, Cucurella chose to explain himself publicly during an appearance on Gerard Romero’s FanZone programme. Speaking candidly, he outlined the split-second reasoning behind his decision to step into the challenge.
“There’s a moment when I get up and I feel very close to him, and I said, well, I’m going to put my head in here to see if I can create a little controversy. He grabbed me, threw me where he could, and a big scuffle broke out,” he said.
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When competitiveness spills beyond the pitch
During the discussion, Romero noted that both Cucurella and Traoré are both products of the same youth system at FC Barcelona‘s La Masia, suggesting that any tension should remain confined to the pitch.
Cucurella agreed with the sentiment, but his response carried a dry edge that reflected the reality of the moment.
“No, in the end, these things happen. I don’t have a problem with it, although if I bump into him on the street, I would hesitate to say hello after this,” he noted.
The programme later connected live with Traoré, who moved quickly to defuse any lingering sense of conflict. The winger was keen to emphasise that there was no personal issue involved and that the incident was driven purely by the intensity of the game.
“He’s a really good guy. It all happened on the field; it was the heat of the moment. I really didn’t mean to do it; it wasn’t my intention,” Traoré said.
Cucurella responded with laughter, acknowledging both the explanation and the unusual setting of the exchange.
“Now I’m calm because there’s a screen between us… No, but it’s fine. It’s all in the past,” he noted.