The Partner of former Chelsea star Marc Cucurella has revealed how she narrowly avoided being one of the tragic victims of the Toledo train crash in Spain.
At least 68 people were killed and at least 100 more injured in a horrific high-speed train crash amid a failure to communicate about the obstruction from central command.
The tragedy has caused an outpouring of grief across the country and Europe, with several high-profile Spanish footballers also sharing their sympathies.
However, Claudia Rodriguez, the long-term girlfriend of Real Madrid defender Cucurella, shared an Instagram story revealing how she had been travelling to Malaga on the train behind the one involved in the fatal incident.
Taking to the platform, she explained she was “on the way to Malaga on the train behind” and expressed “support to the victims’ families and friends”.
In a longer follow-up story, she added: “Guys, I’m fine. My train wasn’t affected at all since there was plenty of distance between us and the train that had the accident.
“We simply had to turn around and head back to Madrid since it was on the same route.
“It made my stomach turn thinking that if it had happened later, it would have happened to my train, but honestly, that’s nothing compared to what the people who actually were on that train must have gone through.
“All my strength once again to those families.”
She also shared a post asking for blood donations in Madrid, where her family is now based following her boyfriend’s £52million transfer from Chelsea.
The Spanish Football Federation postponed 24 Copa del Rey matches in light of the tragedy which occurred.
A number of La Liga matches were also postponed.
The government also announced three days of national mourning.
It comes mere months after the country’s first fatal train crash this year which also involved one high-speed Renfe train hitting another stationary one from rail operator Iryo.
Claudia and Cucurella met in 2018 and have three children together, Mateo, Rio and Bella.
The pair were together in London for the Ballon d’Or ceremony – won by Harry Kane – ahead of Wednesday’s crash.
