'We worked on them' - Marc Cucurella reveals Chelsea training plan didn't work vs Sunderland

Chelsea faced a surprising 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, despite taking an early lead in the fourth minute through Alejandro Garnacho's goal. Sunderland managed a comeback, with Wilson Isidor equalizing 18 minutes after Chelsea's opener and Chemsdine Talbi scoring the winning goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time, leaving the home supporters stunned.

Chelsea had focused their preparation on countering Sunderland's strengths in dead-ball situations, such as throw-ins and set pieces, but this strategy proved ineffective. Isidor's equalizer originated from a throw-in, while Talbi's winner came from a long ball, with Chelsea defenders Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah failing to dispossess Brian Brobbey before he set up Talbi for a close-range finish.

Post-match, Marc Cucurella highlighted Chelsea's shortcomings, admitting that the team relaxed and were punished for not managing key situations better. He emphasized the need to learn from these mistakes, particularly in defending against long throws and counter-attacks, and expressed confidence in bouncing back quickly, with an upcoming game on Wednesday offering an opportunity to return to winning ways.