Chelsea’s teenage sensation Estevao won a hyped personal battle with Lamine Yamal as Enzo Maresca’s side crushed a ten-man Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday (AEDT).
The result capped a dramatic round of group-stage action that also saw Manchester City stunned 2–0 at home by Bayer Leverkusen and several other heavyweights stumble across Europe.
Chelsea’s win was the perfect tonic ahead of a huge Premier League clash against league leaders Arsenal, also at Stamford Bridge, on Monday. The Blues are six points behind the Gunners in second on the PL table.
As well as their three goals, Chelsea had three disallowed against a team reeling from the first half double yellos to skipper Ronald Araujo.
The build-up to their meeting with Barcelona focused heavily on the two 18-year-olds, but it was Chelsea’s Brazilian winger who delivered the moment that will dominate highlight reels.
Ten minutes after half-time, Estevao collected the ball on the right flank, skipped past two defenders and smashed a rising shot into the roof of Joan Garcia’s net. It was his tenth goal of the season for club and country and the most defining strike of his young Chelsea career.
“I do not really have words to sum up how I am feeling,” Estevao told Amazon Prime. “It was the perfect night. I am grateful to God for everything that has happened. I just found some space, wiggled through and scored. It all happened so quickly. I hope to score many more.”
Barca’s Eric Garcia summed up the Spanish team’s shock. “What a terrible night,” he said.
“We were coming off a good game against Athletic. We started the game well and had a couple of really good chances. We tried to hold on a bit in the second half, but 2-0 is a killer,” he told the media.
“I think they were pressing us. We didn’t adjust properly. We tried to jump with the full-backs and it was impossible. We had to run after the ball the whole time.
“The matches we’ve played are familiar. We need to be more competitive in these types of matches. The duels, second balls… if you don’t make yourself strong, it’s impossible to win.”
Chelsea had already taken control before the break. Their pressure finally told in the 27th minute when a scrambled delivery from a short-corner routine led to Jules Kounde turning the ball into his own net. Barcelona’s problems worsened just before half-time when captain Araujo collected a second yellow for a rash challenge on Marc Cucurella, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb.
Maresca’s side had set the tone early. Enzo Fernandez twice had the ball in the net only to be denied by the officials, first for a handball in the build-up and then for offside. Pedro Neto also went close while Ferran Torres wasted Barcelona’s best opening, dragging wide when clean through in the sixth minute.
Once reduced to ten men, Barcelona never recovered. Liam Delap sealed the points in the 73rd minute with a tidy finish from close range after a VAR intervention, allowing Stamford Bridge to savour a rare European rout against the five-time champions. The home supporters revelled in it, jeering the subdued Yamal and cheering loudly when he was withdrawn.
Chelsea have now won three of their first five matches back in the Champions League and remain well placed for a top-eight finish, which would secure automatic passage to the last 16.
Pep Guardiola’s night was far less enjoyable as an under-strength Manchester City slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola made ten changes to the side beaten by Newcastle at the weekend, resting goal machine Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Gianluigi Donnarumma in a gamble that did not pay off.
Leverkusen took full advantage. Alex Grimaldo punished City’s slack defending with a crisp finish midway through the first half. Patrik Schick doubled the lead shortly after the break, rising above a hesitant Nathan Ake to glance a header into the far corner.
It was City’s first home defeat in the Champions League group stage since 2018 and their second straight loss in all competitions. Despite dominating possession, City rarely threatened and their reshuffled defence looked disorganised. Haaland came on late but continued his mini-slump, miscontrolling City’s best chance and allowing Mark Flekken to save.
“I take full responsibility, still I think the players that started were exceptional players but we missed something needed at the highest level. We now have to fight for the next games,” Guardiola told TNT Sports.
“They [Leverkusen] were good. In general we did very good things as well, we had more chances than them, but they were half-chances.”
Pushed on the wholesale changes he made, Guardiola added: “I have to accept it. If we win it wouldn’t be a problem so I have to accept it that maybe it’s a lot but I think playing every two or three days we need to [make changes] but seeing the result, maybe it’s too much.”
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang dented Newcastle’s Champions League charge as Marseille came from behind to claim their second win of the campaign.
The Magpies led 1-0 at the Velodrome through Harvey Barnes’ sixth-minute opener, his third goal in four days after his match-winning double against Manchester City.
However, they were undone inside five second half minutes when 36-year-old former Arsenal frontman Aubameyang first capitalised on an error by goalkeeper Nick Pope to level and then beat the defence to stab home a second.
“I’m very happy to be here at this club to enjoy moments like tonight. It was a great game,” said Aubameyang. “We started a bit sloppily, but we reacted well.
“I’m feeling great, even if I’m 36. When you play these types of games, you want to play more and score more.
“It was very important, especially at home and for the fans. If we want to go through, then we have to win games.”
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said: “The effort was good. The 15 minutes at the start of the second half cost us.
“The goal straight after half-time changes the feeling around the stadium. It was a lapse of concentration from us.”
There was late drama in Norway where Sondre Brunstad Fet looked to have rescued a point for Bodo/Glimt, coolly slotting an 87th-minute penalty to level at 2–2. But Juventus stole it at the death, Jonathan David pouncing in the 91st minute to seal a dramatic winner.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund were far too strong for Villarreal, cruising to a 4–0 victory. Serhou Guirassy bagged a brace, while Karim Adeyemi and Daniel Svensson added one each as the visitors struggled after captain Juan Foyth was sent off early in the second half. Fabio Silva could have made the margin even bigger but rattled a penalty off the crossbar.
Napoli kept their campaign rolling with a 2–0 win over Qarabag, Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay opening the scoring before the Italians closed out the result. Slavia Prague and Athletic Club cancelled each other out in a tight 0–0 draw.