Chelsea produced a composed and authoritative performance in a 3-0 success over Barcelona in the Champions League, with teenage winger Estevao Willian delivering the standout contribution.
The 18-year-old forward struck a brilliant second goal shortly after the visitors were reduced to 10 players, as captain Ronald Araujo collected a second yellow card on the brink of halftime.
Before that, the home team had gone ahead through an own goal from Jules Kounde, who inadvertently steered the ball over the line following a neatly executed short-corner pattern that involved Estevao, Alejandro Garnacho, and Marc Cucurella.
Liam Delap later came off the bench to add a third, ending a lengthy run without scoring by calmly guiding in a low finish after Enzo Fernandez broke clear and squared a simple pass across the penalty area.
Throughout the night, Estevao eclipsed visiting prodigy Lamine Yamal, also 18, winning duels, creating openings, and ultimately departing to a warm ovation moments after Yamal had been withdrawn to whistles from the stands.
Momentum grows around Maresca’s evolving side
Despite the absence of Cole Palmer, who remains sidelined with a toe issue, Chelsea showed cohesion and confidence that have quietly grown during recent weeks.
Players and staff have been cautious about announcing lofty aims, yet discussions around major ambitions are understood to exist within the club, aligning with the ownership’s significant financial outlay since the current regime arrived.
Moises Caicedo and Fernandez controlled the center of the pitch with authority, while Cucurella continued his resurgence, offering both stability and energy on the left side.
Estevao’s scoring run has eased the strain created by Palmer’s injury spell, and Chelsea’s recent unbeaten sequence — five victories and a draw since their last setback against Sunderland — has lifted the mood heading into a crucial league meeting with Arsenal.
With the Blues climbing into the upper tier of the 36-team Champions League structure, they now occupy a position that would allow them to bypass the February playoff round if they maintain their trajectory.
Barcelona falter without Pedri’s guidance
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick was measured in his evaluation of the defeat, pointing to the sending-off, illness concerns, and limited availability of key attackers as mitigating factors.
Raphinha, only fit enough for a substitute appearance, and Marcus Rashford, recently over a fever after international duty, both featured but could not alter the flow of the contest.
Yet the absence of Pedri proved especially damaging, as Chelsea exploited gaps during Barcelona’s build-up phase and forced turnovers high up the pitch. Flick acknowledged that several players produced uncharacteristic errors, though he maintained that there were still constructive elements to take from the evening.
The Catalan side, sitting narrowly behind Real Madrid in La Liga, will ultimately be assessed on how they progress later in the campaign, both domestically and in Europe’s restructured competition format.
With remaining fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt, Copenhagen, and Slavia Prague, Barcelona retains a clear path forward but likely requires maximum points to secure direct advancement without entering the additional knockout round.
