Chelsea are on the ascent. If their Fifa Club World Cup triumph in July in the US showed promise of a better future, Chelsea’s recent form has clearly lived up to those expectations.
Second in the Premier League — Chelsea are six points behind runaway leaders Arsenal — Enzo Maresca’s men on Tuesday showed they are definitely a force to be reckoned with in Europe too.
The 3-0 demolition — Jules Kounde scored an own goal before Estevao and Liam Delap rubbed salt into the wound of a 10-man Barcelona in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge — was so clinical that at times one felt the visitors might have been thinking about when the referee would blow the final whistle to give them a respite. The young men of Maresca were that good.
Sample these. Barca manager Hansi Flick failed to see his team score in a Champions League game for the first time in his managerial career; before Tuesday, the Catalan club was on a 54-game scoring streak in all competitions, dating back to December 21, 2024!
The Barcelona midfield went AWOL as Chelsea pressed from the kick-off, and Lamine Yamal just did not know how to go past Chelsea left-back and compatriot Marc Cucurella.
Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Martinez did not hold back after the match. “Cucurella had Yamal in his pocket tonight (Tuesday). I’m always saying, all the players are very good… Until they come and prove themselves in the Premier League.” A point well made by the Spaniard, who should be on Spain’s flight to the US along with Yamal and Cucurella next summer.
Chelsea were the latest team to expose chinks in Barca’s defence. Flick’s ploy of high-line defending and catching the rivals in the offside trap was successful last season, but this season the teams have a measure of them.
Yes, three Chelsea goals were ruled out offside on Tuesday but they scored as many, toying with their rivals. Ronald Araujo’s red card in the 44th minute also did not help Barca’s cause, even though Chelsea were all over Barca from the first minute.
Brazilian Estevao, just 18, on the right, and 21-year-old Argentine Alejandro Garnacho, on the left flank, ran amok. Estevao’s second in the 55th was a perfect example of how Chelsea bossed over the five-time European champions.
Reece James freed Estevao on the right and the Brazilian made a run, took Pau Cubarsi in his stride, and before Balde could close him down, he fired a powerful angled shot into the net past goalkeeper Joan Garcia. As Garcia and Balde lay on the ground, Estevao carted off towards the stand to celebrate.
“I hope I keep scoring for many more years,” he said after the match. “Estevao had a very good game, not only for the goal, but for the way he helped a lot in the way we were pressing,” Maresca was lavish in praising.
Delap added to Barca’s misery with his first goal for his new club. “You grow up dreaming of nights like this,” Delap, 22, said.
With Barca taken care of, Maresca now shifts focus to the clash against Arsenal on November 30. The top-of-the-table clash is expected to be a cracker, and Chelsea have it in them to record another home win.
