Spain's Win Over Croatia Overshadowed by Cucurella Controversy
Spain's 2-1 Nations League win over Croatia sparked controversy after Marc Cucurella drew criticism for his role in Ivan Perisic's red card, drawing sharp rebukes from Croatian players and media.
Spain's Win Sparks Controversy Over Cucurella
Spain's 2-1 victory over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League left considerable frustration in the opposing camp, with Spanish defender Marc Cucurella standing at the center of the storm. The full-back faced sharp criticism following the incident that led to Ivan Perisic receiving a second yellow card and subsequent expulsion, with the Croatian side accusing Cucurella of "provocative and unsportsmanlike" behavior.
Cucurella himself saw no issue with the sequence of events. "I think it's clear, there was contact, it's a second yellow and there is nothing to argue about," he said after the match. "They need to defend their national team. They made it very difficult for us, but we need to focus on our response in the game. Maybe we started a little sluggishly."
Slaven Bilic and Luka Modric Criticize the Defender
The reaction in Croatia was starkly different. Former coach Slaven Bilic lashed out at the defender's conduct: "Who isn't angry at Cucurella when he's not on your team? He is an excellent player, I admire what he does on the pitch. He defends his team with everything he has, but it is clear that he also provokes."
Bilic also claimed that Cucurella "goes down too easily" in an attempt to influence referee decisions. Captain Luka Modric similarly struggled to hide his anger when asked about the play that resulted in Perisic's red card.
"What am I supposed to say about this?" said the Croatian captain. "Cucurella put himself in a position... If Perisic hadn't been sent off, for sure we wouldn't have lost. It's better that I don't say what I told Cucurella."
Croatian Media and German DAZN Penser React
Croatian media specifically targeted the moment immediately following the foul. Cucurella fell to the ground, immediately demanded a yellow card, and when referee Erik Lambrechts dropped the red card onto the turf, the Spanish player quickly picked it up and handed it back. The Croatian press interpreted this behavior as provocative and unsportsmanlike.
The incident also reignited the tense relationship between Cucurella and fans outside of Spain. Following the expulsion, Croatian supporters began booing him every time he touched the ball, reminiscent of the treatment he received in Germany after the controversial handball incident against Germany in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals.
German DAZN pundit Jan Platte also spoke out against the Spaniard. "There are other footballers who would have reacted differently than Cucurella," he said. "I'm not talking about the fall itself, but about what he did after, when he immediately demanded a card. In principle, this is completely unacceptable behavior. But in his case, it's not really surprising."
