Marc Cucurella stokes flames for Erling Haaland showdown in Chelsea vs. Man City Premier League opener

Dom Farrell

•
Marc Cucurella stokes flames for Erling Haaland showdown in Chelsea vs. Man City Premier League opener image

It's safe to say Spain's Euro 2024 celebrations got a little bit out of hand.

Rodri and Alvaro Morata have been reprimanded by the by the Gibraltan FA and government after chanting "Gibraltar es Espanol" [Gibraltar is Spanish], effectively casting aspersions on the sovereignty of the small territory on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula that has been under British rule since 1713.

However, Marc Cucurella had his fun closer to home — risking the wrath of one of the most lethal attackers in world football.

"Cucurella eats a paella, Cucurella drinks Estrella," he chanted in a video shared on social media. 

"Haaland trembles that Cucurella is coming."

All the latest EPL club news | Team-by-team Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings

When do Chelsea play Man City?

Erling Haaland has won back-to-back Premier League Golden Boot top scorer awards since joining Manchester City in 2022, and he will lead the line when Pep Guardiola's side begin their latest title defense away to Chelsea on Sunday, August 18.

As such, some fans are already relishing the prospect of an awkward meeting between Cucurella and Haaland in the Stamford Bridge tunnel.

What is Erling Haaland’s record against Chelsea?

Haaland has faced Cheslea four times for City, with all of those games coming in the Premier League. Cucurella has played against him twice.

On the first of those occasions, the hulking Norway striker did not find the net as City battled to a 1-0 win in west London, thanks to a Riyad Mahrez goal in January 2023.

Back at Stamford Bridge in November of the same year, the teams shared a thrilling 4-4 draw. Haaland scored twice, with his first goal coming from the penalty spot after he was clumsily fouled by… Cucurella.

However, they remain his only goals against the Blues in three starts.

Dom Farrell

Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.