On an evening when there was the primary and fourth runner-up of the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the 2018-19 UEFA midfielder of the season and squad of the season finalist, and the 2020-21/2021-22 European Golden Shoe winner on the pitch, it was an 18-year-old who has solely been in Europe for 3 months and solely performed his fifth ever European sport that stole the present.
Brazilian starlet Estevao outshone Lamine Yamal, Frenkie De Jong and Robert Lewandowski at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night time with a venomous shot to double Chelsea’s result in develop into solely the third teenager to attain in his first three Champions League begins after Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
Talking earlier than the sport, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca was filled with reward for each Estevao and Lamine Yamal forward of the showdown, saying, ‘Most likely within the subsequent 10, 15 years, Estevao and Lamine Yamal are most likely going to be the following Messi and Ronaldo.’
Nonetheless, in what is predicted to be the primary of many contests between the 2 18-year-olds, it was the Brazilian who had the followers singing, pundits waxing lyrical, and most actually occupying the entrance web page of most media retailers throughout Europe and South America after the full-time whistle.
Coming into the sport, Maresca knew an space they might exploit was the Barcelona excessive line, and due to this fact, by beginning Estevao via the center, it gave the Blues the very best likelihood to take advantage of the areas left behind.
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Having seen two of his targets chalked off for offside, Enzo Fernandez would usually drop deeper, trying to launch a first-time go in behind the Blaugrana’s excessive line, which was inflicting Barcelona some massive points within the first half, with Estevao on the finish of a few of these passes.
The previous Palmeiras wonderkid made three key passes within the match, creating three probabilities for his teammates, finishing two of his 5 dribble makes an attempt and, in fact, scoring the purpose.
He additionally accomplished 24 of his 28 passes and was continuously a menace contained in the field, the place he made eight touches and unleashed two pictures, with a type of being his ferocious effort at a pace of 64 mph to make it 2-0.
The Brazil worldwide was additionally very concerned in Chelsea’s relentless man-to-man press, profitable three of his duels whereas additionally pinning Barcelona’s backline when he was on the ball, finishing two take-ons and in addition creating two probabilities earlier than going off to a standing ovation within the 83rd minute.
