According to Goal.com, Cucurella has voluntarily taken on defensive duties to cover for Vinicius, but this has exposed weaknesses on Real Madrid's left flank and also hindered his own attacking contribution.

Taking on "dirty work" or difficult defensive tasks can sometimes backfire. Spanish newspaper Sport reported that when Cucurella joined Real Madrid, he essentially gave Vinicius a "blank check" of sorts.

Upon joining Real Madrid, Cucurella stated: "It doesn't matter if he doesn't drop back to defend; I'll do everything he doesn't want to do. As long as he keeps deciding matches and has enough energy to score goals, I'll handle all the difficult work." However, as time has gone on, these words have proven to be unrealistic.

While this statement seemed to reflect team spirit, match reality has exposed a problem: there's a significant difference between filling gaps created by Vinicius's attacking freedom and actually defending an entire flank, which also carries tactical risks.

Cucurella has had a rocky start at left-back. Last season, Carreras faced similar issues at that position, particularly in the Madrid derby; the gap between Cucurella and Huijsen has once again become a serious weakness in Real Madrid's defense.

In a La Liga match, Real Betis exploited breakthroughs by Antony and Bellerín on the right flank to find space. Atlético Madrid coach Simeone devised an attacking plan for the derby targeting Real Madrid's left flank. Pubill, M. Llorente, Lee Kang-in, and Giuliano were positioned at different depths, putting Cucurella in a difficult position: if he pressed the ball carrier, other players would attack the space behind him; if he held his position, Atlético could advance through midfield.

When Vinicius returned to the pitch, he lacked the intensity and focus needed. He was criticized by head coach Mourinho after losing possession multiple times at the Metropolitano.

Cucurella faced a dilemma: should he push forward to press the ball carrier, or drop back to cover opponents running into open space?

To compensate for the numerical disadvantage, Valverde and Tchouaméni had to adjust their positions, which exposed other areas. By the end of the derby, Cucurella made 14 defensive actions, more than any other player on the pitch.

This statistic doesn't erase Cucurella's mistakes but helps explain why he frequently finds himself in difficult situations. When defensive problems arise, fullbacks are often the first to be scrutinized, even though the issues often originate several meters away from them.

Under Mourinho, Vinicius's statistics for defensive involvement and ball recovery in the opponent's half have improved. The difficulty is that once opponents break through the first line of defense, Vinicius, despite his significant attacking efforts, doesn't always drop back to cover and prevent opponent advances.

This sacrifice has also diminished the qualities Real Madrid originally hoped to get from this player. So far, Cucurella has no assists in La Liga; he's also cautious about pushing forward because if he loses the ball, he may have to run a long distance to get back into a defensive position.

Cucurella performs best not as a fullback who stays close to center-backs, but when he can operate down the flank, break into midfield, and penetrate the attacking area.

Cucurella proved his value to the Spanish national team precisely in this way. For example, in the World Cup, a tactical system was specifically designed to give him freedom of movement: Ferland Mendy served as the defensive anchor, Kroos stabilized the left flank, and Benzema dropped deep to link with Vinicius. Cucurella, who tends to attack more than the French fullback, is now forced into a similar role without the same defensive support.

Cucurella promised to take on the work that Vinicius doesn't want to do, ensuring the Brazilian player could enter the penalty area with full energy and decide matches there.

This is somewhat similar to a "mistake" former coach Arbeloa once made, when he claimed he would exempt Mbappé and another attacking teammate from unnecessary running.

The problem is that while Cucurella waits for Vinicius to deliver decisive performances, he's also sacrificing part of his own game and taking on tasks that aren't always his primary responsibility. He volunteered to do the "dirty work" but ultimately has to bear the consequences.

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