LONDON — Enzo Maresca has cautioned against drawing parallels between Chelsea’s young talent Estêvão and Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, expressing that such comparisons could place «excessive pressure» on him.
Estêvão was the highlight of the game for the Blues, netting a brilliant second goal as Maresca’s team overwhelmed 10-man Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Jules Koundé suffered a disastrous own goal in the 27th minute, and Ronald Araújo received a hasty red card in the 44th minute, leaving the LaLiga champions trailing by a goal and a player at the break.
– Estêvão has Chelsea resembling a squad that deserves the ‘world champions’ title
Just ten minutes into the second half, Estêvão collected a pass from Reece James on the right side, maneuvered past Pau Cubarsí and Araújo, before smashing a shot high into the net past Joan García.
Estêvão marked his place in history as the third teenager to score in each of his first three Champions League matches, joining the ranks of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
The goal drew similarities to Messi’s best days, but Maresca emphasized the need to allow both Estêvão and 18-year-old Lamine Yamal to grow without being engulfed by such expectations.
«Estêvão must take it easy. He should savor the moment and engage in [training] sessions. He needs to play the game. Both he and Lamine are so young, at 18, and if discussions start about Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo, I believe that creates excessive stress for young players like them. They ought to enjoy their time at the training ground, feeling joyous during sessions.»
«When comparisons arise with Messi or Ronaldo, I think it becomes overwhelming for them.»
Estêvão has now netted five goals for Chelsea since joining from Palmeiras in the summer, though Tuesday’s goal might be the most significant of all.
«I can’t quite find the words to express my feelings,» he remarked. «Everything happened so swiftly for me. I discovered some space and weaved my way through. I hope to keep scoring for many more years to come.»
He continued: «It truly was the ideal evening. [My goal] was an incredibly special moment for me in my career. Since my arrival here, I’ve felt a strong bond with the fans. I’m extremely pleased I could score for them and bring them joy.»
Substitute Liam Delap added the final goal with 17 minutes left, enabling Chelsea to rise to fifth in the standings while last season’s semifinalists Barcelona fell to 15th place.
Chelsea’s next match will be against Premier League leaders Arsenal at home on Sunday, where they could potentially narrow the gap at the top to just three points.
Maresca remarked: «The atmosphere was fantastic, especially as it was at home with our supporters.
«It’s always delightful to share moments like this. But now, I instructed the players that for the next 48 hours, it’s essential to completely unwind, focus on recovery, and gain energy, as Sunday brings a challenge against Arsenal.
«However, my primary message post-game was to recover energy, as that is the most critical aspect at the moment. Then starting Friday, we will begin preparing for Arsenal.»
Information from The Associated Press was referenced in this report.
