Estevao lights up Chelsea’s Champions League statement against 10-man Barcelona - reaction | OneFootball

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Watching Estevao, Yamal and Pedri is a treat for football purists - Maresca

Chelsea’s 18-year-old wonderkid Estevao lit up their 3-0 win over Barcelona with a stunning goal as the Blues made a Champions League statement with their biggest ever win against their Catalan rivals.

Estevao dribbled past Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi before thumping an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net to score the second of Chelsea’s goals and the pick of the bunch. The Brazilian won his battle with Barcelona’s own 18-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal, and joined Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland by becoming just the third teenager to score in his first three Champions League appearances.

Barcelona’s chances were heavily dented by Ronald Araujo’s rash sending off on the stroke of half-time, with the centre-back dismissed for a wild lunge on Marc Cucurella while on a yellow card. Pedro Neto had scrambled Chelsea into a deserved lead, on a night where Enzo Maresca’s side also had three goals disallowed, with Enzo Fernandez twice denied by first a handball and then an offside.

But Chelsea finally beat Barcelona’s high-line and bold offside trap as Fernandez squared for Liam Delap to add the third, a result that takes Chelsea into the top-eight of the Champions League league standings.

Estevao on his goal against Barcelona

"It all happened very quickly for me, it sort of happened before I knew it. I just found some space, wiggled my way through and then scored that goal. It was such a special moment for me in my career. I hope to score many more.

"It was definitely the best moment of my career so far. I want to score many more for many years. I'm so grateful that my family were here watching me."

(AFP via Getty Images)

Jamie Braidwood26 November 2025 07:00

Estevao outshines Lamine Yamal and conjures Messi memories as Chelsea crush Barcelona in Champions League

Lamine Yamal and Estevao are both 18, both possess a magical left foot and both are already at home on the Champions League stage. They have another thing in common: Yamal has spent most of his young life being compared to Lionel Messi, pre-ordained as Barcelona’s next legendary figure at only 14 years old; Estevao was dubbed “Messinho” when he first emerged at Brazilian club Palmeiras.

Both have understandably tried to shun the comparison and yet there were flickers of a famous Messi goal here at Stamford Bridge.

Estevao outshines Yamal and conjures Messi memories as Chelsea crush Barcelona

Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona: Estevao scored a brilliant solo goal on a night when perhaps the two best 18-year-olds in world football shared the same pitch

Lawrence Ostlere, at Stamford Bridge26 November 2025 07:00