Chelsea produced a statement Champions League performance at Stamford Bridge, beating 10-man Barcelona 3-0 in a contest billed around the meeting of two of the world's best teenage attackers. Estevao Willian comprehensively outshone Lamine Yamal, scoring a stunning solo goal and lifting Chelsea into the top eight of the 36-team league phase.
Jules Kounde's first-half own goal, Estevao's wonder strike and a third from substitute Liam Delap completed the rout against a Barcelona side reduced to ten men by Ronald Araujo's red card just before half-time. The Spanish champions were stopped from scoring for the first time in 53 games.
A Bold Plan Rewarded
Without the injured Cole Palmer, Enzo Maresca made the bold call to start without a recognised striker, deploying Pedro Neto as a false nine with Joao Pedro and Delap among the substitutes. The plan was built around targeting Barcelona's high offside trap and pressing Hansi Flick's side into mistakes in possession, an area exacerbated by the absence of Pedri.