Cucurella Helps Chelsea Keep UCL hopes alive

What a game of football it was last Friday. I was rushing down from work, so I could catch up with the game, as it was a pretty important game for us. I wasn't too confident when I saw the line and bench. To be honest, we did put up our best squad possible with the suspensions and injury crisis anyways. Last Friday, was the penultimate game of the 2024/2025 season. Chelsea welcomed Manchester United to the bridge for what promised to be an enthralling encounter. For Chelsea, they had champions League qualification on the line, while Manchester United has nothing to play for really. It has been a season to forget for Reuben Amorim, as the Portuguese tactician and his team have struggled with consistency all season. They do have an European Cup final to play for later this week, so it's all or nothing.

United were the better side in the opening stages as they looked threatening on the break, and did find the back of the net just ten minutes into the game, as Harry Maguire was at the end of a Bruno Fernandes cross, but the goal was ruled offside. Chelsea did create a couple of chances, one of which was a perfectly struck volley from Reece James right on the edge of the box. The Chelsea Skippers strike ended up hitting outside of the post to go wide. Not long into the second half, Chelsea were awarded a penalty, after Tyrique George went down in the box, but the decision was overuled by the referee after consulting the VAR screen. It was in the seventy-first minute that the home side finally found a much needed breakthrough, thanks to well placed header from Cucurella. The Spanish full back was at the end of a pin-point cross from Reece James, after a piece of brilliance from the English intentional. The blues did come close to doubling their lead later on, after Cole Palmer put Noni Madueke through on goal, but the Chelsea winger couldn't finish. An immense victory for the blues as they take another step in their hunt for Uefa Champions League football next season.