Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has shared his thoughts on the club’s UEFA Champions League exit after their heavy defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Blues were beaten convincingly over two legs in the Round of 16, with PSG progressing to the quarter-finals on an emphatic 8-2 aggregate scoreline.
Speaking to The Athletic, the Spaniard blamed inexperience within the squad, noting that several players were playing at that level for the first time.
“We lacked experience. For a lot of players, it was the first time playing a match of that calibre, and we paid the price.
“You can always make a mistake, but we should have handled it better. There was a return game to play, and if you keep a cool head, you go back to London with a 3-2 defeat (the score with five minutes left of normal time in the first leg), and anything can happen.
“We made a mistake, tried to attack without a clear structure and then PSG took the chance and proved they have that cutting edge.
“Results like that are always hard to take. You are fighting and training every day only to realise, at the very end, that when games matter, we are still a bit away from the top level.”
Cucurella also suggested that Liam Rosenior’s tactical approach left the team exposed, allowing PSG to punish their lack of organisation.
Despite their efforts, the defender admitted Chelsea still have work to do before they can compete consistently with Europe’s elite sides.
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