Spain in the Nations League: The Buhmann and the party fright

One became a bogeyman, the other actually spoiled the party. Marc Cucurella and Mikel Merino return to Stuttgart for the Nations League with Spain.

“I didn’t do anything bad.“Marc Cucurella said that, and it is difficult to find arguments against it.

However, something was done with Cucurella on July 5, 2024 in Stuttgart. Cucurella was hit by a tight shot from Jamal Musiala. The question was whether there should have been a penalty because the hand was a bit of the body.

There was no penalty, but strange reactions from German football fans. They invited their anger at Cucurella instead of the referee Anthony Taylor, whose video assistant and perhaps even the UEFA, who said in the afterlage of the game, it was a guideline not to be considered punishable.

Germany loses unhappily against Spain

In the meantime it is almost consensus – even Cucurella was a bit delayed – that the decision on a penalty would have been significantly better.

But Taylor failed to take the opportunity to take the lead through a penalty in the 106th minute. It then looked like there are many penalty to determine a semi -finalist from the European Championship. But a minute before the end Mikel Merino headed the 2-1. Spain cheered, Germany was outside.

“You will whistle me again”

Exactly eleven months later, Cucurella and Merino come back to Stuttgart with the Spanish national team. This time it is about moving into the final. France is the opponent in the semi -finals of the Nations League. The game, a new edition of the European Championship semi-final from 2024, will be shown live in the first and in the live stream on Thursday (June 5, 2025). The kick -off is at 9 p.m.

“I am prepared. I think you’ll be whistled again”said Cucurella before returning to Stuttgart. However, he can also gain something good for his role as a Buhmann: “The fact that the focus is now on me can help my comrades and have a liberating effect for them.”

The one who deliberately and joy deliberately and joy played in the Bundesliga. But the 28 -year -old Merino hardly left any traces. He had just turned 20 when he moved from Ca Osasuna to Borussia Dortmund in 2016.

Only a few missions at Borussia Dortmund

Under coach Thomas Tuchel, he only came to eight missions in the Bundesliga, mostly short. After all, he won the DFB Cup, but in the final against Eintracht Frankfurt he was not part of the squad, in the semi-finals at FC Bayern he was only on the bench. In the quarter -finals, Tuchel switched him on, for almost 20 minutes against the amateurs of sports fans Lotte.

The fact that Merino was a fine footballer could be guessed at that time. But that he also has the hardness of becoming a factor in a top club of the Premier League is likely to have been surprised by many who pursued his first years in the senior sector.

Change to the Premier League

The first stay in England was quite promising at the beginning. At Newcastle United, he came more frequently and even one after the other over 90 minutes. But towards the end of the 2017/18 season it became less again. Merino moved back to Real Sociedad to San Sebastian.

There he became a fixture with 190 games in the Primera Division in six years. The appeal to the Spanish national team was logical. He made his debut in September 2020, in the Nations League against Germany – in Stuttgart. It was a dreary premiere because no spectators were allowed because of the pandemic.

Debüt in Stuttgart, goal in Stuttgart

A lot was different in the summer of 2024. The stadium was full, the German fans loved their national team again. Merino spoiled the evening, celebrated the win of the European Championship title a few days later, and took up his work at Arsenal very confidently.

It became a strong season. Many missions in the Premier League, seven goals: Merino had to play much more aggressively than in the previous years, because Arsenal with the Spanish coach Mikel Areta had many injuries, including the German international Kai Havertz, for whom Merino arose as “false nine”.

In the national team, he is challenged one or two lines behind it. Spain must continue to do without Rodri, who tore itself off the cruciate ligament in September 2024. With all the talent and all the art of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams on the wings, Rodri is the heart of the national team. Merino takes on his tasks from time to time, but mostly Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad is responsible for order and structure in the central midfield.

Strong season by Merino with Arsenal

Zubimendi and Merino may also play together in the club in the coming season. Arsenal is considered very interested.

The club from the north of London fell after a very big title. He became the last time in 2004, and he never won the Champions League.

He was quite close to the goal in the past season, and Merino also helped. The Spaniard was on the pitch both in the quarterfinals against Real Madrid and in the semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain for over 90 minutes, in the 3-0 gala in the first leg against Real, he even scored a goal.

However, it was not enough for the title, neither in the Champions League, nor in the Premiere League, in which too many undecided made the gap to Liverpool FC too big to make it exciting.

Cucurella wins Conference League with Chelsea

There was a short phase in the season, when FC Chelsea was also considered a candidate for the championship. Ultimately, they were “blues“Healing to have qualified for the Champions League.

There was even a title. Chelsea won the Conference League by a 4: 1 in the final against Betis Sevilla.

Extremely important goal against Manunited

Cucurella was there in nine games and scored two goals. This is a decent quota for a left -back, just like the five goals in 36 season games of the Premier League.

On the penultimate matchday, the Spaniard headed the only goal in the extremely important victory against Manchester United.

It runs for Marc Cucurella, so the expected whistles should not make up little. He said about the EM 2024: “Ultimately, the memories are all beautiful. We got the title.”