Chelsea delivered a dominant 3-0 victory over Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, with Estêvão and Liam Delap scoring after an own goal and Ronald Araújo’s red card swayed the Champions League tie.
Chelsea delivered a stellar collective effort in their 3-0 Champions League triumph over Barcelona on Tuesday night, with the squad showcasing dominance even before the visitors were reduced to ten men.
The victory, secured by an unfortunate own goal, a majestic strike from Estêvão, and a late finish by Liam Delap, has significantly boosted the Blues’ standing in the competition.
The following outlines the individual contributions of the starting XI, listed from the backline to the forward unit.
Goalkeeper
Robert Sánchez — 8.2
The Spanish goalkeeper might have anticipated a high-pressure evening, yet the match turned out to be less demanding than his previous league outing. The dismissal of Ronald Araújo just before the interval helped significantly in reducing the attacking threat posed by the visitors, limiting Sánchez’s necessary interventions throughout the second half.
Defenders
Malo Gusto — 6.7
Though substituted at the half-time break, the right-back was influential in the opening 45 minutes. Gusto played a vital role in overloading Barcelona’s left flank, while also providing relentless work rate and defensive pressure when the team was out of possession.
Wesley Fofana — 6.8
The French centre-back remains, arguably, the strongest defender available to the manager, Enzo Maresca. Fofana’s presence in the starting line-up invariably improves the team’s defensive stability, a quality that was clearly on display during this European clash.
Trevoh Chalobah — 7.1
Chalobah excelled when his duties called upon him, particularly standing out for his superb reading of the game and exemplary positional awareness within the defensive line.
Marc Cucurella — 7.5
The left-back’s style was sometimes unconventional, but he successfully nullified the threat posed by the highly-rated Lamine Yamal. Furthermore, Cucurella ensured he was involved at the attacking end of the pitch, notably contributing to the sequence that led to the opening goal.
Midfielders
Reece James — 8.3 (Player of the Match)
Despite facing a couple of tricky moments early in the encounter, the captain quickly settled into a commanding rhythm. James was a central figure, contributing significantly to a dominant midfield display that overwhelmed the Catalan side.
Moisés Caicedo — 7.6
Operating at the deepest point of the Chelsea midfield pivot, the Ecuadorian was crucial in preventing Barcelona from building through the centre. Caicedo executed his renowned hard-hitting tackles and demonstrated smart, constructive use of the ball in possession.
Enzo Fernández — 7.4
The Argentine delivered a comprehensive performance, diligently covering ground across the pitch. He was unfortunate to have two goals chalked off, but he still directly contributed to the scoring by providing an unselfish square pass to set up Delap’s late goal.
Attackers
Estêvão — 8.0
The Brazilian youth international was arguably the most impactful teenager on the Stamford Bridge turf, dazzling with his flair. He produced a magical moment in the second half, picking the ball up on the right, gliding past two defenders, and firing in a magnificent goal to double the lead.
Alejandro Garnacho — 7.0
Garnacho was a constant source of trouble, presenting a direct and hazardous threat when matched up one-on-one against Jules Koundé.
Pedro Neto — 6.9
Neto served as Chelsea’s main forward threat, constantly looking to exploit the space behind the Barcelona backline. The management’s decision to utilize his pace proved astute, and his direct, straight-line runs caused problems, especially when he moved out wide in the second half.