Chelsea winger Estevao Willian produced a standout performance to overshadow fellow teenage sensation Lamine Yamal as the Blues secured a 3-0 home victory over a 10-man Barcelona in the Champions League.
The 18-year-old Brazilian scored a spectacular second goal after Barcelona’s captain, Ronald Araujo, was sent off for a second booking just before halftime.
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The hosts had already taken the lead through an own goal by Barcelona defender Jules Kounde, with substitute Liam Delap adding a third, breaking an 11-game goal drought for the season.
Yet it was Estevao’s dazzling solo run, skipping past Pau Cubarsi, holding off Alejandro Balde, and finishing past goalkeeper Joan Garcia, that became the night’s defining moment. Yamal, also 18, was substituted in the 80th minute to jeers from the Stamford Bridge crowd.
Chelsea’s opening goal came from a clever short-corner routine involving Estevao, Alejandro Garnacho, and Marc Cucurella, with Neto’s flick off Kounde deflecting into the net.
Earlier in the match, Enzo Fernandez had two set-piece efforts ruled out for offside, Reece James forced two saves from long-range attempts, and Neto missed a close-range chance.
Barcelona’s best first-half opportunity came when Ferran Torres failed to convert a close-range chance, and Marcus Rashford, brought on at halftime, could not turn the tide.
Estevao’s 2-0 strike set the stage for Delap’s side-footed finish following Fernandez’s incisive pass, sealing a comprehensive win that lifted Chelsea into the top eight of the 36-team league phase, keeping them clear of an extra play-off round in February with three matches remaining.
Chelsea’s confidence appears quietly growing this season, despite public reluctance to hype their chances of major trophies. The BlueCo project, led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, has invested heavily, over £1.5bn in three seasons, producing a squad now featuring world-class young players like Moises Caicedo, Fernandez, and Cucurella.
Estevao’s emergence has been pivotal, providing five goals while star forward Cole Palmer remains sidelined with a toe injury. Chelsea’s momentum, built on five wins and a draw since their last defeat against Sunderland, sets up a high-stakes Premier League clash against title rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, with six points separating the two sides.
