‘Chelsea are lucky to have him’ – Estevao shows why he should be starting more games for his club | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has so far been cautious with teenage sensation Estevao, but his latest showing for Brazil suggests he deserves more game time for his club.

The youngster scored again for Brazil in their 2-0 win against Senegal at the Emirates, and he keeps making the point to his club manager that he is ready to start more games.

Carlo Ancelotti certainly seems to think he is ready. The Brazil boss has started Estevao in four of his seven games in charge of Brazil so far.

“He’s a very talented player,” Ancelotti said after Brazil’s win.

“He is able to show every game, in Chelsea too, and he doesn’t need a lot of minutes to show his quality. He can play five minutes and he can show his quality.

“I think the Brazil national team is really lucky to have him, and also Chelsea.”

The youngster has been in every squad under the Italian, and has played at least some minutes in six of Ancelotti’s seven games at the helm.

Maresca got his first glimpse of Estevao in the flesh at the Club World Cup when the 18-year-old was lining up for Palmeiras in his final ever game for the club, against Chelsea.

He was brilliant in that game, winning man of the match after scoring a worldie goal – even though his team lost.

The youngster left Chelsea fans with a tantalising teaser of what he was capable of in that match, and since he has made the move to west London he has been simply irresistible.

It took Estevao no time to win fans over, after an excellent display in their 5-1 thrashing of West Ham, which was only his second game. He registered an assist and caused havoc all game.

Since then he has continued to impress, and delivered some man of the match performances. Undoubtedly his best moment in a Chelsea shirt to date was the winner in the 95th minute against Liverpool to make it 2-1.

That made Maresca run down the touchline in Jose Mourinho-esque fashion, but he has still been reluctant to start Estevao every game.

It is plainly clear that he is Chelsea’s most dangerous attacker bar Cole Palmer, and certainly their best winger.

Maresca is of course fully aware of Estevao’s talent, but has been easing him in as he is still young and playing in a new country, and he wants to protect him.

But some talents need to be unleashed, not protected. Estevao is one of them.

His goal against Senegal for Brazil was a beautifully taken finesse shot in the 28th minute into the bottom left corner of Edouard Mendy’s goal.

He was lively all game, and combined fluidly with fellow forwards Vinicius and Rodrygo, both of Real Madrid.

He is the youngest regular starter in the Brazil XI, and the company he is keeping in the squads as well as the talent he is keeping out of the starting team is further proof that Maresca cannot let him sit on the bench.

Joao Pedro, Lucas Paqueta, Richarlison and Gabriel Martinelli are all regularly left out, whilst Ancelotti makes sure Estevao plays in important games.

The question then, is does Ancelotti trust Estevao more than Maresca, or does Maresca just need to loosen the handbrake?

Either way, Estevao has to be starting regularly after the international break.