In a highly anticipated clash billed as a duel between the world’s brightest teenage talents, it was Chelsea’s Estevao Willian who seized the spotlight from Lamine Yamal, orchestrating a commanding 3-0 victory over a 10-man Barcelona on Tuesday night.
The comprehensive win at Stamford Bridge propelled Enzo Maresca’s side into the top eight of the Champions League standing, placing them firmly on course to qualify directly for the Round of 16 and avoid the treacherous February play-off round.
While the dismissal of Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo for a second bookable offense just before halftime proved the turning point, Chelsea were already the superior force. An own goal from Jules Kounde had given the hosts the lead, before a sensational solo effort from Estevao and a late strike from substitute Liam Delap—his first of the season—sealed a memorable European night for the Blues.
A Tale of Two Teenagers
The pre-match narrative focused heavily on the rivalry between two 18-year-old prodigies: Brazil’s Estevao and Spain’s European Championship winner Yamal.
While Yamal struggled to influence proceedings against a disciplined Chelsea defense and was substituted in the 80th minute, Estevao delivered a performance that justified the hype surrounding his arrival in west London.
With Chelsea missing talisman Cole Palmer due to a toe injury, the creative burden fell to Estevao. He delivered the game’s standout moment shortly after the break to double Chelsea’s lead. Collecting the ball deep, the Brazilian skipped past defender Pau Cubarsi, held off Alejandro Balde with impressive strength, and powered a finish past goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
When Maresca withdrew Estevao two minutes after Yamal’s departure, the standing ovation from the Stamford Bridge faithful confirmed a changing of the guard in the hierarchy of the club’s new “BlueCo” era.
Araujo sees red as Barcelona crumble
Chelsea’s opener arrived via a well-worked short corner routine involving Estevao, Marc Cucurella, and Alejandro Garnacho. The move culminated in a shot from Pedro Neto, which took a wicked deflection off Jules Kounde to wrong-foot the goalkeeper.
Barcelona’s hopes of a comeback were effectively extinguished minutes before the interval. Having already been booked, Araujo committed a rash challenge that left the referee with little choice but to brandish a second yellow card.
Despite the introduction of Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford at halftime—who had recovered from a fever to replace Ferran Torres—Barcelona failed to threaten Robert Sanchez’s goal significantly.
“We made some big ball losses—this was the key today,” Barcelona manager Hansi Flick admitted after the match. “We had some players making unusual mistakes. But I also saw some positive things and we have to work on the other things.”
Delap ends drought as Chelsea eye silverware
Chelsea’s dominance was capped by Liam Delap. The substitute striker ended an 11-game goal drought, side-footing home after Enzo Fernandez broke the offside trap to square the ball across the box.
The victory extends Chelsea’s impressive run under Maresca. Unbeaten in six games since a loss to Sunderland, the Blues now sit second in the Premier League, setting up a massive showdown against league leaders Arsenal this Sunday.
With over £1.5bn invested in the squad over three seasons, the pressure to deliver trophies is palpable. However, performances like this suggest the project is maturing.
“The entire point of the investment is to win trophies,” a source close to the club noted. With Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez controlling the midfield, and Estevao providing world-class flair, Chelsea are quietly building a case as genuine contenders on both domestic and European fronts.
Match Stats
| Metric | Chelsea | Barcelona |
| Score | 3 | 0 |
| Possession | 58% | 42% |
| Shots (On Target) | 14 (6) | 5 (1) |
| Red Cards | 0 | 1 (Araujo) |
What’s Next?
Chelsea face a defining test of their title credentials when they host Premier League leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday (16:30 GMT).
Barcelona, who now likely need to win their remaining three Champions League fixtures (vs Eintracht Frankfurt, Copenhagen, and Slavia Prague) to avoid the playoffs, return to La Liga action against Alaves on Saturday.
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