"He doesn’t react" - Jamie Carragher blames Chelsea star for his role in Ben Chilwell's sending off against Real Madrid
Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has criticized Chelsea's Marc Cucurella for his part in Ben Chilwell's red card against Real Madrid.
The Blues played out the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash against Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu on 12 April. Chelsea suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss at the hands of the Spanish giants after goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio.
Chilwell was sent off for making a last-ditch foul on Real Madrid's Rodrygo, who was through on goal. Federico Valverde produced an exquisite lob pass over Chelsea's defense and was received by the Brazilian, who had beaten his man Cucurella.
While admitting Chilwell was to blame for the error, Carragher could not help but point out his Chelsea teammate's role in the sending-off. The former Liverpool star told CBS Sports after the match (as quoted by Metro):
"When you play in Europe, it feels different from playing in the Premier League. At times it’s slower – it almost feels like a charity game! Look at everyone, how slow everyone is. And this, for me, is European football: how Real Madrid change the pace of this game."
He added:
"Everyone stood still, standing in position, then Rodrygo gets his touch and before you know it ‘Boom!’ the pace in the game is quick. But look at the body position here of Rodrygo compared to Cucurella. He is already on his way, Cucurella still hasn’t changed his body position to run back and on the far side, Ben Chilwell, when one of your centre-backs steps out the wing-back has to come in and fill that space."
Carragher further stated:
"Rodrygo is lightning-quick, so you can’t go fully in. Cucurella doesn’t go fully in, he gives himself a couple of yards – which is okay – but his problem is he doesn’t react! When the ball goes and [Rodrygo] spins, Cucurella is still like this [stood still]. He hasn’t changed the pace of the game and understood what is happening in that game."
Chelsea and Real Madrid will face off in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at Stamford Bridge on 19 April.
"That’s what he’s there for!" - Carragher further criticizes Chelsea stars for red card against Real Madrid
Carragher further lambasted Chilwell and Cucurella for their mistake against Real Madrid. The former Liverpool star believes the Chelsea duo were both at fault for the red card incident.
Carragher stated:
"For me, Cucurella is at fault but that [from Chilwell] is even more at fault. Don’t pull someone back and give a red card away! The reason you pay a goalkeeper is to do his job and to get you out of trouble defensively – that’s what he’s there for! Let him do his job! You’re then down to 10 men, he’s now going to miss the second leg, and it still would have been difficult for Rodrygo to score from there."
Real Madrid are currently second in the La Liga table while the Blues find themselves 11th in the Premier League standings amid dismal form this season.