Marc Cucurella has called for patience with Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid project after the club lost twice in their first seven La Liga matches, leaving them six points behind leaders Barcelona.
Madrid’s defeats by Real Betis and Atletico Madrid have raised questions about their start under Mourinho, but Cucurella believes the team needs time to settle under a new manager. The defender said the campaign’s final outcome would provide a better measure of progress.
“At Madrid, we have just started with a new manager and it’s too soon to speak,” Cucurella said. “Some players only had a week-long preseason before starting.
“The beginning of the season hasn’t been what we all hoped for, but it’s a process and we will see where we are at the end of the campaign.”
Cucurella has also faced questions about the difference between his performances for Spain and his early displays for Madrid.
The left-back impressed in Spain’s Nations League victories over England and Croatia last week, leading comparisons between his performances at the international level and at his new club.
The €55m summer signing from Chelsea said he still needs time to settle in and build relationships with new teammates.
“It’s not even 10 games yet,” he said. “There are things to improve [with Madrid], of course. We basically had no preseason, while it’s a new club for me.
“I have to adapt to my new teammates and give my best so that the player you see with the national team is the same player with Real Madrid.”
Cucurella’s performances for club and country earned him a place on the 30-man shortlist for this year’s Ballon d’Or. He is also playing alongside two of the leading contenders for the award: Kylian Mbappe at Madrid and Lamine Yamal with Spain.
Asked to choose between the pair, Cucurella joked that he would vote for himself before declining to favour either teammate.
“But no, two of the candidates to win it are teammates,” he said, “so who whoever wins it, I will be happy.”
