Solid play: Spain’s Marc Cucurella fights for the ball with France’s Aurelien Tchouameni. — AFP
MUNICH: Seemingly sore that their team were not playing, German fans booed Spain player Marc Cucurella for the duration of the European Championship semi-final against France on Tuesday,
Any time Cucurella had the ball during Spain’s 2-1 win over France, he was whistled loudly by many German supporters in the crowd.
“The jeers against Cucurella are shameful,” Spain defender Dani Vivián said. “I don’t understand these people that come to a stadium to whistle and boo.”
The fans apparently blamed Cucurella for a penalty that was not given to Germany during its quarter-final loss to Spain on Friday.
Spain progressed at the host nation’s expense by snatching a dramatic 2-1 win in extra time in Stuttgart.
But German fans were incensed that referee Anthony Taylor did not award a penalty to their team when Jamal Musiala’s goalward shot rebounded off Cucurella’s arm in the first period of extra time.
Taylor evidently felt that because Cucurella was lowering his arms to his sides there was no intent to block the shot and that the player was doing all he could in the circumstances to avoid blocking the ball with his arm.
There was no intervention from the video referee because it was not a wrong call. Play continued, and Mikel Merino went on to head Spain’s winner in the 119th minute.
German fans who had bought tickets to Tuesday’s semi-final expecting their team to be there took out their frustrations on Cucurella. Cucurella, who had a solid game, said he had paid no attention to the German fans. — AP
