Chelsea’s teenage sensation Estevao starred in a 3-0 Champions League triumph over Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, delivering a dazzling performance capped by a memorable goal. The 18-year-old Brazilian surged past two defenders and struck an unstoppable shot into the top corner from a tight angle in the 55th minute, doubling Chelsea’s lead after an early own goal by Barcelona. Liam Delap added the third goal, sealing a dominant evening for the English side. Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, meanwhile, struggled to make an impact and was substituted late in the match, reflecting the overall difficulties of the visitors.
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Estevao’s display, which combined relentless energy, skillful probing, and sharp attacking instincts, drew admiration from Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who acknowledged the youngster’s composure and pressing ability. “Estevao had a very good game, not only for the goal, he helped the team with how we were pressing. The goal reminded me of the one he scored against us in the Club World Cup — very similar, the same action,” Maresca said. Despite the hype surrounding the teenager, Maresca was careful to avoid comparisons with global icons. “At 18, they need to enjoy, they need to arrive at the training ground happy, but when you start to compare them with Messi or Ronaldo, I think it’s too much for them,” he explained.
Estevao, brimming with youthful excitement, described the moment as “the most special of his career” and expressed joy at having his family in the stadium. Chelsea’s commanding performance left Barcelona reduced to 10 men in the first half and largely ineffective for the remainder of the match. The win was Chelsea’s highlight in a night that saw mixed results for other English teams in Europe.
Manchester City suffered a shock 2-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen, marking the first loss of the season under Pep Guardiola. In a bid to rotate his squad, Guardiola made ten changes from City’s recent Premier League loss at Newcastle, leaving key players, including Erling Haaland, on the bench. Guardiola admitted the gamble had backfired, acknowledging, “There were too many changes. I believe that the long season, [games] every two days, three days, two days, three days, everybody has to be involved. But maybe it was too much seeing the result.” Alex Grimaldo’s early goal and a second-half strike by Patrik Schick sealed a disappointing night for City, serving as a reminder of the risks of overhauling a squad in critical European matches.
Newcastle United also struggled to build on domestic success, losing 2-1 away at Olympique de Marseille. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second half to secure the win for the French side, highlighting Newcastle’s inability to maintain momentum in Europe.
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund completed a perfect night for German sides, thrashing 10-man Villarreal 4-0 at the Westfalenstadion. Serhou Guirassy scored twice, while Karim Adeyemi and Daniel Svensson added further goals. Despite missing penalties for Guirassy and Fabio Silva, Dortmund’s attacking prowess ensured a comprehensive victory, moving them into fourth place on ten points, level with Chelsea and just behind leaders Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Inter Milan.
Juventus secured their first win of the campaign in dramatic fashion, defeating Bodo/Glimt 3-2 with a stoppage-time strike from Jonathan David. The Italian side had trailed until David’s decisive goal, following a rebound from Kenan Yildiz, who had been influential after coming on at halftime. Serie A champions Napoli maintained strong form with a 2-0 victory over Qarabag, while Jose Mourinho’s Benfica earned their first points with a 2-0 win against Ajax. Union Saint-Gilloise edged Galatasaray 1-0, and Athletic Bilbao played to a goalless draw with Slavia Prague, rounding out a night of unpredictable Champions League action.
Chelsea’s emphatic win places them in a strong position as the group stages progress, with Estevao’s emergence adding excitement and promise to their campaign. Barcelona, struggling in 15th place, face urgent challenges if they hope to reach the knockout stages. For Manchester City and Newcastle, the defeats serve as wake-up calls, emphasizing the importance of squad management and consistency on the European stage. With eight games played, the competition is heating up, setting the stage for thrilling matches in the coming weeks as clubs across Europe vie for a place in the last 16 of the tournament.
