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Furious Cucurella changes cleats after slipping twice to concede early goals, then helps Chelsea win

Furious Cucurella changes cleats after slipping twice to concede early goals, then helps Chelsea win | iNFOnews.ca
Chelsea's Marc Cucurella changes his shoes during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Chelsea, at the Hotspur stadium in London, Sunday, Dec.8, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella changed his cleats just 12 minutes into the game after his slips contributed to both of Tottenham’s early goals in the teams’ London derby in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Spain international ceded possession by slipping on the turf at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the fifth and 11th minutes — and from the ensuing attacks, Spurs scored through Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski.

Immediately after Kulusevski’s shot hit the net to make it 2-0, Cucurella sprinted to the sideline while shrugging his shoulders and pointed to his cleats. He took them off and threw them away in disgust before putting on new ones.

It seemed to work.

Within six minutes, he provided the pass that led to Jadon Sancho scoring for Chelsea to make it 2-1.

Furious Cucurella changes cleats after slipping twice to concede early goals, then helps Chelsea win | iNFOnews.ca
Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson challenges for the ball with Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Chelsea, at the Hotspur stadium in London, Sunday, Dec.8, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea went on to win 4-3 — and Cucurella posted a photo on social media after the match, showing the first cleats he wore nestled in a bin.

“It almost slipped away,” Cucurella wrote on Instagram Stories, “but proud of the amazing team effort to turn things around.”

Furious Cucurella changes cleats after slipping twice to concede early goals, then helps Chelsea win | iNFOnews.ca
Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson challenges for the ball with Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Chelsea, at the Hotspur stadium in London, Sunday, Dec.8, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
Furious Cucurella changes cleats after slipping twice to concede early goals, then helps Chelsea win | iNFOnews.ca
Chelsea’s Jadon Sancho celebrates with his teammate Marc Cucurella after scoring his side’s first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Chelsea, at the Hotspur stadium in London, Sunday, Dec.8, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
Furious Cucurella changes cleats after slipping twice to concede early goals, then helps Chelsea win | iNFOnews.ca
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer celebrates with his teammate Marc Cucurella after scoring his side’s fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Chelsea, at the Hotspur stadium in London, Sunday, Dec.8, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

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The Associated Press

Steve Douglas

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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