Key Chelsea player claims Club World Cup has had huge effect on the team in this way | OneFootball

If there’s been one common thread throughout Chelsea’s diary entries from the players at the Club World Cup, it’s been the team building that’s happened at the tournament so far.

The whole group have been playing, training, eating and sleeping together, and it really seems to have brought them all together.

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Marc Cucurella on team building and its positive effects

Marc Cucurella and Reece James in training. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Marc Cucurella was the latest players to mention it. He was a “glue guy” already, but it seems his job has been made easier by the proximity of the group, day and night, in the USA. He also noted how the this unity had helped in getting the team through to the semi finals:

“That close bond we’ve created off the pitch has helped a lot on it. It showed during the Palmeiras game. In the first half, we dominated and then in the second half, even though we conceded, we stuck together. That has been so important and a key theme throughout this tournament,” Cucurella said.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s been thunderstorms, two-hour delays, securing wins in extra time, or responding to equalisers, we’ve shown our maturity and character throughout. We are continuously improving. Sometimes during the league season, we suffered a little bit in these moments, but now we are improving. That game against Benfica is another perfect example; we are together until the last minute.”

Cucurella looks ahead to intense semi final

The full back also took a look ahead to tonight’s semi final against Fluminense:

“Now it’s about continuing our hard work ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final with Fluminense. Training has been good, and we need to remember we are here for a good reason – our hard work and effort. We deserve to be here, and we want to play in the final. Now it’s time to show it.”