Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.placeholder image
Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella. | Getty Images
Enzo Maresca joined Cucurella in singling out the Chelsea winger for praise for his West Ham performance.
Chelsea blasted past West Ham on Friday night and picked up three points in a 5-1 romp at the London Stadium, recording a first Premier League win of the 2025/26 season.
The Blues suffered a setback just before kick-off with star man Cole Palmer picking up a groin problem in the warm-up. Enzo Maresca’s side did start slow in the fixture with West Ham capitalising through a stunning Lucas Paqueta strike to go 1-0 up.
That lead did not last long with Joao Pedro responding via a strong header less than 10 minutes later. Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Trevoh Chalobah then all found themselves on the scoresheet in a convincing victory.
Marc Cucurella praises Chelsea teammate against West Ham
Even with five players scoring, it was one of the Chelsea stars who didn’t hit the back of the net who earned plaudits after the game. That was 18-year-old Willian Estevao, who was trusted to fill in for Palmer.
The teenager’s pace caused endless problems for West Ham and, after the match, full-back Marc Cucurella heaped praise on how the player stepped up to the plate. He told Sky Sports: “It was difficult because we practiced one thing and had to change very fast. Estevao in this case played an amazing game, it’s very important because we have a good squad and all of us are ready at any time. We are very happy because we showed that we have a top team.
“I think he’s very young but he’s shown that he is very mature. He makes good decisions and it’s a good thing. All the new players came here to help the team and bring something good, good energy and good talent. We have an amazing squad and hopefully we can do good things this season.”
Enzo Maresca gives Estevao verdict
Estevao was afforded a cameo off the bench against Crystal Palace last weekend and turned heads with a hungry performance. He continues his rise and is earmarked as one of the world’s most exciting footballing prospects.
The winger arrived at Stamford Bridge from Palmeiras this summer after Chelsea agreed a £29 million fee with the Brazilian outfit in June 2024. Estevao spent last season with Palmeiras before making the move this summer.
Despite his impressive performance, Blues boss Maresca was keen to keep his feet firmly on the ground when speaking in his post-match press conference. When asked about the youngster, he said: “He is very young and a fantastic player. I am very happy with him. But he also has to adapt because the goal we conceded came from him trying to make a flick in the middle of the pitch.”
In other news, Chelsea Player Ratings: 'Speed demon' 10/10 and 'phenomenal' 9 as West Ham battered.
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