In the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League that ended in the early hours of this morning, Spain defeated Germany 2-1 in extra time and successfully advanced to the semifinals. After the match, Spain defender Cucurelia was interviewed by Bain Sports, sharing his thoughts on the match and his outlook on future matches.
Cucurelia began by acknowledging the grueling nature of the game, admitting, "Yes, I think it was a tough game, we were playing against top teams and the whole game was challenging and difficult. We suffered a lot, but it's these trials and tribulations that made us more united and determined."
Cucurelia couldn't hide his joy about his team scoring the winning goal in overtime: "In the final moments, we seized the opportunity and scored that crucial goal. It made our whole team very happy and excited because it was the best reward for our efforts."
However, talking about the upcoming semifinals, Cucurelia also mentioned the challenges his team faces. He said, "We know that the semifinals will be tougher because there will be more top teams and players waiting for us. Also, we have some big names in the team who will be unavailable due to suspensions, which definitely adds to our difficulty." But he then turned the tables and emphasized the power of the team, "But we have 26 players in the team, and everyone is a top player and top-notch. No matter who is on the field, our goal is to win. We will unite as one, play hard and use our strength to conquer our opponents."
Furthermore, Cucurelia made a special mention of Morata's situation. He thankfully said, "The better news is that Morata will not be suspended, we thought for a while that he was going to be penalized as well. His presence is very important for the team, he has the experience and ability that we need. I'm sure he will continue to play a key role in the upcoming games."
