The reason for the whistles stems from the Germany’s Euro 2024 quarterfinals, when Spain faced the host nation. Cucurella handled the ball in the box, and the referee didn’t award a penalty, a decision that infuriated German fans — a grievance they are now expressing in tonight’s Champions League match.

Since that incident in the tournament, Cucurella has been booed every time he plays in Germany. The most recent example came during the 2025 UEFA Nations League final between Spain and Portugal, also held at the Allianz Arena.

The controversy was officially addressed months after the Euro 2024 tournament, when UEFA’s refereeing commissioner announced in September 2024 that the referees had made a clear mistake.

Cucurella’s controversial moment against Germany

Spain took on host nation Germany in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals at the Allianz Arena. Marc Cucurella played the full match, remaining on the field for the entirety under coach Luis de la Fuente Castillo.

With the score tied 1-1 in the 105th minute of extra time, Jamal Musiala’s shot struck Cucurella’s hand, prompting protests from the German players to referee Anthony Taylor. However, the official did not award a penalty.

Following the globally debated incident, the referee explained that Cucurella’s arm was positioned almost parallel to his body, close to his torso, which is why he deemed the contact unpenalizable.

The reaction stems from a controversial moment during the 2024 UEFA Euro, when a shot from Jamal Musiala clearly struck Cucurella’s hand inside the box. Despite the obvious contact, the referee Anthony Taylor refused to award a penalty.

With the final being held in Germany, local fans have not forgotten the incident that cost their team a chance at the semifinals. As a form of protest, they have singled out Spain’s standout defender Marc Cucurella, believing that a penalty in that moment could have changed the course of their tournament.

In September 2024, UEFA’s refereeing commissioner admitted that officials made a clear error by not awarding a penalty. According to Relevo, referees have since received updated guidance on how to handle similar handball incidents. Going forward, even if a player’s hands are close to the body, those situations will be penalized to avoid further confusion.

After hearing UEFA’s stance, German legend Toni Kroos did not hesitate to react strongly to the situation: “It took them three months to realize there was a handball, something that almost everyone else could see in a second. That reassures me a lot (laughs). Can I say that I’m now a European champion because they have officially confirmed it? I don’t think so.”

Marc Cucurella responds firmly to repeated whistles from German fans

After that controversial match, Marc Cucurella did not hold back when responding to German fans. “These are things that happen, I’m not to blame for anything. I don’t know what they were trying to achieve with that, but that’s the way it is. The most important thing is that we’re in the final (2024 UEFA Euro), and that’s it.”

Despite the chilly reception he has faced since that game, Cucurella has firmly established himself as one of Spain’s top full-backs. He continues to earn starts over high-caliber talents like Alex Grimaldo and Alejandro Balde. Throughout the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League, he has been a consistent starter, even in high-stakes matchups like the final game against Portugal.

As European soccer returns, Manchester City started their campaign with a decisive win at Stamford Bridge. Haaland opened the scoring in the first half, and Mateo Kovacic sealed the victory with a late goal, giving Pep Guardiola’s side the perfect start.

After the match, Haaland had a light-hearted exchange about Cucurella’s recent antics. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Norwegian striker spoke with former footballer Jan Aage Fjørtoft and said, “Cucurella is a funny guy. Last season, he asked for my shirt… and this summer, he’s singing a song about me.”

Cucurella’s chant with Spain

Cucurella became a fan favorite during Spain’s 2024 UEFA Euro victory, where they defeated England 2-1 in the final. During the celebrations, Cucurella was seen leading a chant that referenced Haaland, which quickly went viral among Spanish supporters.

The lyrics of the chant playfully warned Haaland to “watch out” for Cucurella: “Cu Cu Cucurella, eats a paella. Cu Cu Cucurella, drinks a estrella. Haaland trembles, here comes Cucurella. Haaland trembles, have a cookie.”

Haaland’s response adds a touch of humor to the budding rivalry, setting the stage for more excitement as the season unfolds.

Toni Kroos‘ words have reopened the debate on one of the most controversial plays of the European Championship. It should be remembered that the play was not reviewed by VAR and that Spain ended up winning the match 2-1 in extra time, eliminating Germany from the tournament.

In the episode, Kroos acknowledges that, although he did not initially want to get wet about the play, he has felt some frustration when reviewing it after the game. However, Kroos criticises the attitude of the referee and the VAR.

What did Toni Kroos say about the controversial play with Marc Cucurella?

Kroos broke the silence and, on the podcast, ‘Einfach mal luppen’ that he performs with his brother Felix. He said the following: “I was angry when I saw him after the game”. The German, however, avoids going on too long so as not to damage his image and concludes with a blunt “let’s leave it there”.

During the match, Kroos was not one of the players who most protested the referee’s decision. This is because, as he explains, “I could not assess the situation clearly. He wasn’t well placed to see that it was a pretty clear handball.”

Kroos criticizes the attitude of the referee and the VAR

“I looked at the referee. He believed that he did not need to review it and the assistant in the VAR thought the same and gave him to understand that it was not necessary to review it, that it was not a handball. I think I should have at least checked it out.” Kroos said.

And, according to the German player, the problem lies in the fact that the referee “knew that if he checked it, he had to give it. And I felt like I didn’t want to concede it in a game like that.”

Kroos’ statements rekindle the controversy over a move that could have changed the course of the European Championship for the German national team and that, without a doubt, will continue to be talked about for a long time.

The Chelsea player is being booed due to a controversial handball incident inside the box during the quarter-final match against Germany. The referee’s decision not to award a penalty in favor of the Germans sparked the fans’ ire.

At the Olympiastadion, German fans make their displeasure with Marc Cucurella known by booing him every time he touches the ball. Despite the presence of a significant number of Spanish and English fans, the boos from the German contingent are particularly noticeable.

Marc Cucurella’s incident against Germany

Spain faced Germany, the tournament hosts, in the quarter-finals at the Allianz Arena. Marc Cucurella started the entire match without being substituted by coach Luis de la Fuente Castillo.

With the match at 1-1 and in the 105th minute of the quarterfinal series, Jamal Musiala’s shot hit Marc Cucurella’s hand, prompting the Germans to protest to referee Anthony Taylor, but he did not award a penalty kick. However, the referee did not give a penalty.

After the controversial play of the match that went around the world, the referee’s explanation focused on the position of the Spaniard’s arm, almost parallel to his body, alluding to the fact that it was close to the torso.

The Blues are still adjusting to the huge change that meant Todd Boehly’s arrival after decades of Roman Abramovic’s reign. The problem is that they spent a lot recently without getting anything in return.

Unlike other clubs, Chelsea didn’t hesitate to break the bank in the last transfer windows, but none of their moves paid off so far. In fact, one of their signings from last year has already lost value at the club.

Marc Cucurella’s worth drops €20m in first year at Chelsea

Even though he’s been at Chelsea for little over a year, Marc Cucurella‘s market value has already decreased by €20 million during his time at Stamford Bridge.

According to Transfermarkt, the Spanish left-back was worth €55m in September 2022, shortly after he moved to London from Brighton. In the latest update (June 2023), Cucurella was valued at €35 million.

How much have Chelsea spent this summer?

Chelsea spent an astonishing €462.10 million ahead of the 2023-24 season, more than any other club in the world.