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Everything Lamine Yamal does radiates excellence. Even when he is walking about seeming downcast, which he demonstrated quite a bit at Stamford Bridge, he does it with the nonchalant grace of a star. He caresses the ball rather than hitting it, producing impressive power from minimal back-lift. He plays on the balls of his feet, constantly alert, repeatedly able to go either way. He glides rather than sprints, but does so at velocity. He has already ended up as runner-up in the Ballon d’Or. But he was not the finest 18-year-old right-sided forward on the pitch on Tuesday, nowhere near.

Rising Star Estevao Creates His Impact

In Estêvão, recruited from Palmeiras for a fee that could climb to £52m, Chelsea have recruited a player who could evolve as one of the top-tier. He has been building more and more of an impact since scoring the late winner against Liverpool last month. His last four starts for Chelsea have produced four goals, and he also found the net in both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break. It’s very early, but Brazil may eventually have discovered the player they urgently wanted to have secured 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 truly been in doubt from the moment the Barcelona captain was dismissed just before half-time, was a exemplary. In part, it was about Chelsea regaining the ball back and a teammate's pass, but mostly it was about the Brazilian sprinting at incredible speed, dummying left and right, evading opponents and lashing a shot high past the goalkeeper.

Head-to-Head Duel and Powerful Advantage

The taunt of “You’re just a poor Estevao,” directed at Lamine Yamal may have been extremely harsh on the Spaniard, and may not have scanned, but there was no questioning which of the two had triumphed.

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

It’s been a characteristic of the Champions League this season just how much of a bodily edge Premier League teams have over their European rivals. Liverpool have struggled physically in the Premier League this season but dominated Real Madrid. Newcastle beat Athletic Bilbao fundamentally by having some larger blokes to attack balls in the box.

And Chelsea, after some uneasy moments in the opening quarter, by the middle point of the first half had taken control on Barcelona. The ploy of using a speedy attacker and his pace through the middle was emphatically justified.

Set-Piece Dominance and Resilient Strength

The first goal had felt close for at least five minutes before it came. It was no major surprise it came from a dead-ball situation, an area of the game in which it seems like Premier League clubs are competing with precious stones while the rest of the world is still using basic tools. Barcelona can’t score a regular own goal, of course, but have to enhance it with a quick exchange in a narrow space and a skillful move. However elaborate the finish, though, the reason was a slick interchange from a corner that generated space for a Chelsea player to cross for Enzo Fernández.

But the advantage doesn’t just manifest from an goal-scoring point of view. Lamine Yamal got the better of Marc Cucurella only infrequently and seemed at times stunned, perhaps even demoralized by a couple of interceptions.

That irritation would have significant consequences as it led to Lamine Yamal diving over Cucurella’s leg in an attempt to win a free-kick, which in turn led to the Barcelona captain being cautioned for his complaints. When the defender – continued fuming? Conscious of his side’s limitations? Beaten? – charged at the opponent a few minutes later the outcome was unavoidable and virtually decided the game.

Strategic Differences and Ending Conclusion

Perhaps Barcelona could have hunkered down, protected in a defensive formation and aimed to pinch something on the break, as Everton had done at Manchester United on Monday, but it’s hard to imagine two managers more diverse in attitude than the Everton boss and Hansi Flick.

A team arranged to defend with a line as high as Barcelona’s really has no escape when they are diminished to 10. They retreated a bit, but Chelsea still kept driving into the space behind the back line, scored a third from a substitute and, if they’d really needed to, could probably have notched a couple more.

It’s only the opening round and things can shift in the spring as built-up fatigue begins to sap at English sides but the pattern of Premier League control through speed and power is evident.

Lamine Yamal was replaced with 10 minutes to go, wandering to the bench with a sense of sorrowful acceptance, accompanied by a handful of weak jeers. But there was no need to provoke him; the fight was already lost and conclusively so. Estevao, the clear victor, exited the pitch to a rapturous ovation three minutes later. His were the accolades, and Chelsea’s the win.