Estêvão Outshines Lamine Yamal to Reveal Why He Is Chelsea’s Rare Gem

Every action Lamine Yamal executes oozes class. At times when he is moving about appearing disheartened, which he did frequently at Stamford Bridge, he does it with the nonchalant grace of a superstar. He softly controls the ball rather than kicking it, producing remarkable power from restricted back-lift. He plays on the balls of his feet, always aware, repeatedly able to go either way. He moves smoothly rather than dashes, but does so at speed. He has already finished as runner-up in the Ballon d’Or. But he was not the finest 18-year-old right-flank forward on the pitch on Tuesday, nowhere near.

Developing Prospect Estêvão Leaves His Impact

In Estêvão, recruited from Palmeiras for a fee that could climb to £52m, Chelsea have secured a player who could evolve as one of the very best. He has been building more and more of an impact since getting the dying moments winner against Liverpool last month. His previous four starts for Chelsea have yielded four goals, and he also found the net in both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break. It’s premature, but Brazil may at last have found the player they urgently wanted to have identified in Neymar.

Estêvão amazing goal illuminates Chelsea’s dominant win over 10-man Barcelona

Estêvão’s goal, scored after 55 minutes to absolutely seal a win that hadn’t fully been in doubt from the moment the Barcelona captain was dismissed just before half-time, was a masterpiece. In part, it was about Chelsea winning the ball back and a teammate's pass, but mainly it was about the Brazilian sprinting at terrifying speed, feinting left and right, shaking off opponents and hammering a shot high past the goalkeeper.

Face-to-Face Duel and Powerful Edge

The chant of “You’re just a poor Estêvão,” directed at Lamine Yamal may have been overly harsh on the Spaniard, and may not have scanned, but there was no doubting which of the two had prevailed.

Estêvão is 80 days older and has played 22 games fewer but at the moment he looks a more resilient player – and consistent Premier League experience is only likely to amplify that.

It’s been a trait of the Champions League this season just how much of a athletic edge Premier League teams have over their European rivals. Liverpool have faced difficulties physically in the Premier League this season but overwhelmed Real Madrid. Newcastle beat Athletic Bilbao fundamentally by having some larger blokes to go for balls in the box.

And Chelsea, after some nervous moments in the opening quarter, by the middle point of the first half had imposed themselves on Barcelona. The strategy of using a speedy attacker and his pace through the middle was convincingly justified.

Set-Piece Mastery and Defensive Strength

The initial strike had felt close for at least five minutes before it came. It was no big surprise it came from a set-piece, an area of the game in which it appears like Premier League clubs are competing with diamonds while the rest of the world is still using ordinary items. Barcelona can’t score a regular own goal, of course, but have to enhance it with a one-two in a tight space and a backheel nutmeg. However ornate the finish, though, the reason was a smooth interchange from a corner that created space for Marc Cucurella to cross for Enzo Fernández.

But the superiority doesn’t just appear from an attacking point of view. Lamine Yamal got the better of his marker only infrequently and seemed at times stunned, perhaps even demoralized by a couple of tackles.

That annoyance would have major consequences as it led to Lamine Yamal diving over the defender's leg in an attempt to win a free-kick, which in turn led to the Barcelona captain being yellow-carded for his arguments. When Araújo – remained angry? Mindful of his side’s limitations? Beaten? – charged at the opponent a few minutes later the outcome was inevitable and practically decided the game.

Game Plan Contrasts and Ending Conclusion

Perhaps Barcelona could have dug in, defended in a deep line and hoped to pinch something on the break, as Everton had done at Manchester United on Monday, but it’s hard to imagine two managers more contrasting in approach than David Moyes and Hansi Flick.

A team arranged to defend with a line as high as Barcelona’s really has no escape when they are reduced to 10. They retreated a bit, but Chelsea still kept pushing into the space behind the back line, got a third from Liam Delap and, if they’d actually needed to, could possibly have scored a couple more.

It’s only the opening round and things can shift in the spring as accumulated fatigue begins to weaken at English sides but the tendency of Premier League dominance through quickness and power is evident.

Lamine Yamal was substituted with 10 minutes remaining, wandering to the bench with a sense of sorrowful submission, accompanied by a scattering of half-hearted jeers. But there was no need to taunt him; the battle was already finished and decisively so. Estêvão, the obvious victor, exited the pitch to a enthusiastic ovation three minutes later. His were the praises, and Chelsea’s the win.