Chelsea Star Defender Rushed for Medical Scan After Injury Scare
Chelsea's Marc Cucurella is set to have medical examinations on Tuesday following worries that he sustained a hamstring problem during Saturday's 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.
The Blues managed to turn victory into defeat at Stamford Bridge, giving up their lead to fall to Ollie Watkins's second-half double. The loss was particularly frustrating as Chelsea have now collected only six points from their last 18 possible in the Premier League.
Adding to Enzo Maresca's troubles, as the manager faces increasing criticism from club fans, left-back Cucurella requested a substitution with approximately 20 minutes left in the match.
"He was experiencing hamstring discomfort," Maresca explained after the game during his press briefing. "We're uncertain whether it's actually an injury at this point. He requested the substitution."
Cucurella's Availability Against Bournemouth in Question
The Spanish defender will undergo medical scans, according to The Standard, leaving Chelsea anxious about the availability of a player who has only missed two matches across all competitions during the 2025-26 season.
Cucurella has been in Chelsea's starting lineup for 17 of their 18 Premier League fixtures, appearing as a substitute in the remaining game, and has also started five of the team's six Champions League encounters. His only break has come in the Carabao Cup, though he has still made two substitute appearances to help the Blues reach the semi-finals.
Should Cucurella face any time away from action, summer acquisition Jorrel Hato would likely step in—a natural center-back with the flexibility to operate on the left flank. The Dutch player was exceptional at Ajax, becoming captain at just 17 years and 282 days old, but has yet to replicate that form in west London.
Consequently, Hato has only appeared four times in Premier League action for a combined 167 minutes—representing merely 10.3% of available playing time.
Maresca: Conceding Changed Everything
Key player injuries have affected Chelsea all season, but recent attention has centered on the team's contrasting performances between halves. Against Newcastle United at St James' Park before Christmas, Chelsea were thoroughly dominated in the opening 45 minutes and deservedly went into halftime down 2-0. The Blues then fought back in the second period and secured a draw with goals from Reece James and João Pedro.
The Villa match followed a similar pattern, just reversed. Unai Emery's title contenders failed to register a single shot on target at Stamford Bridge in the first half and rightfully trailed to Pedro's close-range strike. However, after the break, Villa transformed the game as Chelsea retreated defensively.
Maresca highlighted missed chances when analyzing what he witnessed—the Italian coach watched from the stands due to a one-match touchline suspension.
"I believe the goal we allowed definitely shifted the game's momentum," he reflected. "I'm unsure if it was the three substitutions, but certainly, until we conceded, we were dominant. I think by the time they scored their first, we should have netted two or three ourselves.
"After conceding that goal, everything changed completely. We definitely need to be more clinical because, as I mentioned, by the time they found the net, we should have scored multiple times and the match would be different. But also, it's likely how we can develop our game management after conceding—perhaps through match-by-match experience and similar situations.
"I believe their goal was the crucial moment. Until that point, roughly an hour in, we had complete control. This isn't the first occurrence. When we concede, even while leading, we have difficulty managing the situation. This is definitely an area requiring improvement."