Marc Cucurella could make a quick return to Stamford Bridge after leaving Chelsea for Real Madrid this summer, with the Spanish defender set to return to west London with his new club.
Cucurella and his Real Madrid teammates will visit Stamford Bridge during the Champions League league phase, although their trip will not be for a match against Chelsea.
The development adds an interesting twist to the European campaign for Chelsea supporters, with the former Blues player potentially returning to the stadium where he previously played.
Another familiar face will also be back at Stamford Bridge. Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is expected to lead his side against Shakhtar Donetsk when the Ukrainian club uses the London stadium as its temporary Champions League home.
Shakhtar have been unable to play at their Donbas Arena since 2014 following the conflict surrounding Crimea. The ongoing war in Ukraine has also forced the club to stage European fixtures outside the country.
For their four home matches in the Champions League league phase, Shakhtar will be based at Stamford Bridge. The club has previously hosted European matches in cities including Hamburg and Warsaw, while its domestic fixtures have been played in Ukrainian cities such as Kyiv and Lviv.
Announcing the Stamford Bridge arrangement, Shakhtar described the move as a special opportunity and thanked Chelsea for allowing the club to use the stadium.
“Stamford Bridge is one of the most famous stadiums in world football, with an incredible history and atmosphere,” the club said, adding that it expected the London fixtures to create memorable experiences for both Ukrainian and English supporters.
Cucurella’s return, alongside Shakhtar’s temporary move to Stamford Bridge, gives Chelsea fans an unusual Champions League storyline: a former player coming back with one of Europe’s biggest clubs while another former Chelsea figure leads an opposing team at the same ground.
