Enzo Maresca hails 'special night' as Chelsea set new Champions League record in win over Ajax | OneFootball

Blues head coach was able to hand out opportunities to several youngsters and rest some senior players

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Enzo Maresca hailed a “special night” as Chelsea thrashed 10-man Ajax 5-1 at Stamford Bridge to make it back-to-back wins in the Champions League.

Kenneth Taylor’s early red card ensured it would be a straightforward evening for Chelsea, who showed their ruthless streak against the Dutch giants.

Teenagers Marc Guiu, Estevao, and Tyrique George all got on the scoresheet for a remarkably young Chelsea team, as Enzo Maresca’s decision to make 10 changes to the team that beat Nottingham Forest was vindicated in devastating fashion.

“Very, very proud. It's a special night for the club, for the young players,” Maresca said in his post-match press conference.

Estevao scored his first Champions League goal in Chelsea’s win over Ajax

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Estevao, who scored his second goal since his arrival from Palmeiras in the summer, was the jewel in the crown of a dominant Chelsea performance, becoming the Blues’ youngest goalscorer in the Champions League with a well-taken penalty in first-half stoppage-time.

The 18-year-old could have added another goal after the break, but shot wide from an inviting George cross, and Maresca praised Estevao’s humility, saying he was “very lucky” to manage the Brazilian.

“With young players most of the time you are a little bit worried because they play one game, two games, (they have a) good game, they score, and they think that they are already top players,” Maresca continued.

“The good thing about Estevao is that we don't need to be worried about that because he's very humble, he's very polite, he wants to work hard. He has a fantastic family, they are very close to him, and for me personally, it's fantastic because he's a special player, but at the same time, you don't have to be worried.

“Now he's going to play one game, two games, score, and he's already thinking that he knows how good he is, but the good thing is that he's a very simple guy, simple boy.

The good thing about Estevao is that we don't need to be worried about that because he's very humble, he's very polite, he wants to work hard

Enzo Maresca

There was also a Champions League debut for 17-year-old academy midfielder Reggie Walsh.

Walsh was given his senior debut by Maresca last season, who brought him on in the closing stages of Chelsea’s 4-1 win away to Djurgardens in the Conference League.

The Champions League represents a huge step up not only for Walsh but also for Chelsea, who last played in Europe’s premier competition in 2023.

Champions League debutant: Reggie Walsh

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Walsh, though, didn’t look out of place, while Chelsea flexed their title credentials with an impressive victory.

“It's the strategy of the club (to promote young players). We have so many young players. I think already last season we were the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League, so this season we continue in the same way.

“We changed tonight from (Nottingham) Forest game ten players. It's not easy from Premier League to Champions League to change so many players, but we need to do that; otherwise, they are going to struggle because many games we need to protect some of the players, and tonight I think was also good because we could rotate players, especially with the red card.”