Stamford Bridge witnessed a changing-of-the-guard moment on a dazzling Champions League night, as 18-year-old Chelsea winger Estevão Willian outshone fellow teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal in a commanding 3–0 victory over Barcelona.
Chelsea, missing star forward Cole Palmer through a toe injury, found inspiration in their electrifying young Brazilian. The hosts opened the scoring thanks to a clever short-corner routine featuring Estevão, Alejandro Garnacho and Marc Cucurella. The move ended in chaos for Barcelona as Jules Koundé inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net.
Chelsea had looked sharp from the outset—Enzo Fernández had two early set-piece goals ruled out for offside, Reece James twice stung the palms of goalkeeper Joan Garcia, and Neto squandered a golden one-on-one. Barcelona, meanwhile, wasted their best first-half chance when Ferran Torres dragged a close-range effort wide, prompting his half-time replacement by Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford.
Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo was sent off just before the break for a second booking.
But the night belonged to Estevão.
The winger produced a moment of pure brilliance for Chelsea’s second, skipping past Pau Cubarsí, holding off Alejandro Balde, and unleashing a ferocious finish beyond Garcia. As home fans roared, Yamal—expected to be the evening’s main attraction—was substituted in the 80th minute to a chorus of jeers.
Chelsea sealed the result when substitute Liam Delap, ending an 11-game goal drought, calmly side-footed home after Fernández broke the offside trap and squared the ball across the box.
The win pushes Chelsea into the top eight of the Champions League’s 36-team league phase, a crucial position that would spare them from an extra play-off round in February if they can hold onto it over their final three matches.
A run of five wins and a draw since Chelsea’s last defeat against Sunderland has built serious momentum going into Arsenal’s visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday – a match pitting first against second in the Premier League, with six points separating the two clubs.
