Graham Potter, the manager of Chelsea, was humiliated last weekend upon his return to Brighton.
Marc Cucurella, a defender for Chelsea, reportedly snubbed manager Graham Potter’s coaching staff angrily after being replaced during the 4-1 thrashing by his old team Brighton on Saturday. Cucurella and Potter returned to the Seagulls in disgrace, with the Spaniard made to pay for Chelsea’s disastrous start to the match.
Cucurella, a left back, was replaced shortly after the hour as Potter modified his strategy after falling behind 3-0 on the South Coast. The 24-year-old made a £62 million summer transfer from Brighton to the West Londoners, and Potter soon after.
The former Getafe star was also very upset about being dropped. He stormed off and disregarded Potter’s coaching staff members, many of whom had also relocated from the Amex Stadium after Thomas Tuchel was fired in September.
Billy Reid, the assistant manager, attempted to shake hands with Cucurella but was rejected by the 59-year-old. The player then spent the rest of the game slouching in a seat in the dugout.
According to The Athletic, Reid’s attempts to console Cucurella were flatly rejected. Cucurella has now been substituted in four of his last five starts under Potter, which is an interesting development given his excellent form under the same coach at Brighton last season.
Brighton supporters booed both Cucurella and Potter. The way the two left the club earlier this year continues to irk home supporters.
He claimed Potter stood up for himself in the face of criticism, insisting he had nothing to apologize for regarding his appointment at Chelsea. He asserted that while he believes he did a good job at the club, left it in a good place, and has nothing to apologize for or accept responsibility for, people are free to have their own opinions.
