17 December 2023 , 16:39
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Marc Cucurella failed to stay awake during Chelsea's game with Sheffield United - but only because he was recovering from surgery.
The Blues defeated the Blades 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday thanks to a brilliant second-half performance from Cole Palmer. The winger scored and assisted Nicolas Jackson's goal to give Mauricio Pochettino's side three precious Premier League points.
Cucurella, who was signed from Brighton in a £62million deal 16 months ago, missed Saturday's game after undergoing surgery. The Spain international suffered an ankle injury in Chelsea's 2-0 loss to Everton earlier this month and is set to be out until February.
Despite missing Chelsea's most recent triumph, Cucurella tried to watch the action unfold on his phone. It's unclear exactly when the 25-year-old fell asleep during the game, although Palmer will hope it was before his heroics unfolded at Stamford Bridge.
Cucurella's partner Claudia Rodriguez went to visit the injured star in hospital after his surgery was completed. She found her other half fast asleep in bed, with the match still playing. It appears the phone slipped out of Cucurella's hands when he nodded off.
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"I found Marc like this in the hospital during the match," Claudia, who has three children with the Chelsea star, wrote on Instagram accompanied by laughing and heart emojis. "He still couldn't open his eyes for a long time, but he could listen."
Cucurella wrote his own message to Chelsea fans once he woke up on Saturday evening. "Time to come back stronger," he posted on Instagram. He went on to congratulate his team-mates on their win. "Good job guys!" wrote the left-back.
Marc Cucurella fell asleep during Saturday's game (@_claurodri/Instagram)
The defender is expected to be out for around two months (@cucurella3/Instagram)Do you think Chelsea will qualify for Europe? Let us know in the comments below!
Pochettino has also expressed his delight at Saturday's result against the Premier League's bottom club. He told Match of the Day: "I’m very pleased. The performance was good. It’s always good against a team who play aggressively with a low block."
Chelsea will now try to beat Newcastle the Carabao Cup. The Blues will take on last year's runners-up in the quarter-finals, with the competition wide open. Everton, Fulham, Port Vale, Middlesborough, Liverpool and West Ham are also in the running.
Pochettino, who was appointed by Chelsea in the summer, would love to get a trophy under his belt during his first season at Stamford Bridge. The Argentine has faced criticism in recent weeks, with the team only 10th in the Premier League table.
He added: "I’m confident, even when we lose. I really believe in the players and the club. Now it’s about to use that in the next competition in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup."