"I could tell you Mbappé, Bellingham, Courtois... but I am going to tell you one that I really like and that goes a bit unnoticed, Arda Güler." Speaking to Estadio Deportivo, Marc Cucurella said Real Madrid are the best team in Europe right now, and he did not hide where the surprise has come from. He also praised José Mourinho's style, calling him close and direct in a way that does not always fit the image.

Real Madrid's run and Cucurella's view

Cucurella's praise lands against a strong backdrop. Madrid have won 8 consecutive matches in all competitions, they are second in La Liga behind Barcelona, and they are second in the Champions League league phase behind PSG. He described the team as serious, and that lines up with the current numbers. Real Madrid have won their last 5 matches in all competitions, while their league record stands at 10 wins, 0 draws and 2 losses.

The interesting part is that Cucurella did not lead with the obvious names. He pointed to Arda Güler instead, saying, "When he is on the pitch, the team plays better and we have more combination play. He is the one who has surprised me the most." Arda Güler has 7 goal contributions in all competitions this season, and his 7.44 La Liga rating suggests the performances have matched the praise.

The Mourinho detail

Cucurella's Mourinho comments were just as warm. "The image is different, for the better. He is very close, very good person, he likes talking a lot. He does not need to give half-hour talks, in five minutes he tells you what you need," he said in comments to Estadio Deportivo.

He also recalled Mourinho sending him a photo showing Cucurella's chest with Mourinho's face tattooed on it. Cucurella said he does not want any more tattoos, which keeps that anecdote where it belongs, as a story about a joke rather than a bigger statement about their relationship.

For Spain, the timing is straightforward enough. Cucurella is in the squad ahead of matches against the Czech Republic and England, and he arrives with a high opinion of Madrid, a specific shoutout for Güler and a lighter view of Mourinho than many would expect.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →