Chelsea secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League. Estevao Willian, Enzo Fernandez, and other Chelsea players had expressed a desire to face Barcelona prior to the match.
According to a report from The Chelsea Chronicle, five members of Chelsea’s squad said they would welcome a tie against Barcelona before the draw for the group stage was even conducted.
The players — young Brazilian winger Estevao Willian, midfielders Enzo Fernández and Andrey Santos, wing-back Marc Cucurella, and full-back Reece James — all pointed to the Spanish giants when asked which opponent they would most like to face. The comments came via a club video shared on Chelsea’s official X account.
Cucurella’s preference came as no surprise; the left-back rose through Barcelona’s youth system, and during his time on loan at Eibar he scored against their former club. The Chronicle adds that those past links only intensified the motivation for the encounter.
Chelsea’s eagerness seems to have paid off. The same article notes that that young winger Estevao Willian delivered a “stunning” goal in their 3–0 win over Barcelona — part of a performance that saw the Blues dominate and land a key European victory.
The club’s collective wish to face Barcelona, the report argues, reflected both respect for their history and confidence in their own abilities.
With players openly wishing the draw would pit them against Barcelona — and then proving their worth on the pitch — Chelsea may well have turned a bold hope into a statement night.