Chelsea will be without Marc Cucurella this weekend for their trip to face Liverpool.

The Spanish left-back has established himself in Enzo Maresca‘s team, but the Blues will need to find a different solution to that side of the defence at Anfield.

GettyCucurella won’t be playing against Liverpool[/caption]

Cucurella has endured a pretty miserable time since joining Chelsea in the summer of 2022 from Brighton, but he’s had a great year and is finally establishing himself at Stamford Bridge.

But he will be watching from the sidelines this weekend…

Why is Cucurella not playing for Chelsea?

Cucurella has already received five yellow cards this season.

This means he will serve a one-match ban in the Premier League, so he can’t play this weekend against Liverpool.

Cucurella has already picked up five bookings despite the season only being seven gameweeks old.

But he’s not the only Chelsea defender to be missing this weekend, with Wesley Fofana also suspended for the same reason, meaning Maresca will have to reshuffle his defence.

But the absence of Cucurella will be particularly frustrating for his manager because two of the yellow cards he’s received have been for dissent and arguing.

Cucurella has been booked for pretty much anything you could think of this season

These were avoidable bookings from his point of view, and Chelsea could now suffer without him being available.

However, rather than accepting the blame for the situation he’s put his team in, Cucurella had some words for English referees.

Speaking in Spain during the international break, he was asked about his upcoming suspension.

In response, he said: “Well, I’ve already been suspended for five yellow cards and I’ve committed few fouls; they’re going after me a bit.

“They jump on me quickly, especially when we play away.

“It’s normal, we won, I was involved in the goal, I’m playing at their home… it’s normal, they’re hurt.”

Now, Cucurella here is suggesting that because Spain beat England in the Euro 2024 final, and he set up the winning goal, the officials are targeting him.

Cucurella starred as his country became European championsAFP

He also mentions how he has been particularly mistreated away from home, but of the five yellows he’s received, two have been at Stamford Bridge, and they were the most recent ones.

Meanwhile, with Cucurella and Fofana out, Maresca was forced to defend his side’s discipline and insists they don’t have a problem with it.

He said: “It’s something we need to improve, but overall, I like the team, the way they are fighting.

“I like the way they are becoming a team in these kinds of things. I don’t see any problems about that.

“For sure, there are things that we can control and do better, for sure no doubt, and probably this is one of the things.

“But if you ask me about the team spirit, the way they are fighting together, the way they are doing things together, I’m very happy.”