Get the Adam Clery Soccer Column. A e-newsletter that unpacks the absurdities and oddities of the attractive recreation
The ACFC e-newsletter: unpacking soccer’s absurdities
Unpack soccer’s oddities with the ACFC e-newsletter
Lamine Yamal and Estevao are each 18, each possess a magical left foot and each are already at house on the Champions League stage. They’ve one other factor in frequent: Yamal has spent most of his younger life being in comparison with Lionel Messi, pre-ordained as Barcelona’s subsequent legendary determine at solely 14 years outdated; Estevao was dubbed “Messinho” when he first emerged at Brazilian membership Palmeiras.
Each have understandably tried to shun the comparability, and but there have been simple glints of a well-known Messi objective right here at Stamford Bridge. Estevao nonetheless had defenders to beat when he obtained the ball within the inside-right channel 30 yards from objective. What he did subsequent will likely be remembered for a very long time by those that witnessed it, drawing Pau Cubarsi in the direction of him earlier than shimmying across the defender’s legs, holding off Alejandro Balde and crashing a right-footed shot into the roof of the web.
Cubarsi didn’t fall to his bottom like Jerome Boateng did within the face of Messi’s weaving run a decade in the past. There was not the identical subtlety within the feint, nor the deft dinked end. However on an evening when the 2 finest 18-year-olds on the earth took up station on reverse sides of the identical pitch, the one flecks of greatness got here courtesy of Chelsea’s quantity 41.
It was the second objective in a 3-0 win which despatched a transparent message throughout Europe that Chelsea, the world champions, are contenders within the Champions League – albeit towards a 10-man Barca workforce within the second half. Chelsea are briefly as much as fourth within the standings, no less than earlier than Wednesday night time’s video games, and their goal of ending within the high eight of the league section is eminently reachable. Barcelona began the night time on the identical factors however their hopes of computerized development to the knockout levels now look distant.
open picture in gallery
Mikel Arteta will little doubt have been watching with notepad in hand forward of the London derby at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Chelsea are Arsenal’s closest rivals within the Premier League, and whereas it’s arduous to think about the workforce that stuttered to such a flat defeat by Sunderland a couple of weeks in the past placing up a title problem, victory this weekend would transfer Enzo Maresca’s aspect to inside 4 factors of the league leaders.
Arteta will little doubt have taken copious notes on Estevao. The Brazilian was direct and threatening with the ball at his toes however his recreation was extra polished than simply dribbles to the byline. His selections in full movement have been virtually all the time proper, his weight of move was often judged to perfection, and he even used his slight body to carry the ball along with his again to objective and arrange a few telling counterattacks.
Against this, Yamal confirmed a few of his easy working with the ball however discovered little or no pleasure towards Marc Cucurella, who was sometimes dogged in his process. One Cucurella sort out within the field introduced roars and chest bumps among the many Chelsea defenders. Yamal went lacking lengthy sufficient for his dad and mom to start out getting apprehensive, and when he lastly discovered some house across the field, he made the flawed selection, dinking an formidable move to no person specifically when the shot was on.
For all their similarities, there may be one apparent distinction between Estevao and Yamal. Barcelona and Spain have been flogging their prodigy for a few years now, and it has been nearly relentless. Yamal has struggled with a groin harm this season however has nonetheless been required to start out 12 video games, whereas Estevao has began his final three Champions League video games – scoring in every – however has primarily featured from the bench within the league.
open picture in gallery
That’s partly a results of Chelsea’s riches, with a squad that may produce two totally completely different however equally proficient XIs three days aside. It is usually all the way down to Barcelona’s horrendous spate of accidents this season, which has seen Hansi Flick with few choices to select from every week. It’d clarify a barely withdrawn Yamal, though he didn’t appear fatigued a lot as uninterested by the tip right here, the spirit knocked out of him by Cucurella’s defending.
Barcelona did make it straightforward, and Maresca’s plan was clear from the second minute when Enzo Fernandez dropped again into his personal half to obtain a move from his defenders. There, he would possibly usually take a contact and think about his environment, however as an alternative he hit a first-time move with pre-planned readability over Flick’s kamikaze excessive line, a trench dug inside an arm’s attain of the midway line, and Chelsea repeated the trick over and over.
Barcelona made a beautiful early probability when Ferran Torres slipped into the field and one way or the other contrived to bodge his shot huge of the far publish with solely Robert Sanchez to beat, however that was concerning the sum of their attacking risk. Chelsea continued their technique of firing direct passes excessive and so they created some clear sights of objective. Enzo twice had first-half objectives denied, rightly, first by Wesley Fofana’s handball within the build-up after which by an offside, earlier than Pedro Neto – taking part in as a No 9 – wasted an enormous alternative when Estevao slipped him by way of on objective and the Portuguese tumbled off steadiness earlier than capturing over the bar.
open picture in gallery
However lastly the breakthrough got here when Barca slept on a brief nook – they’ve earlier for that specific crime within the Champions League. Cucurella’s low cross discovered Neto and a panicky Jules Kounde bundled the ball into his personal web. Ronald Araujo was booked for dissent a couple of minutes later and was despatched off moments earlier than half-time for clattering into Cucurella, so clearly a second yellow that he was marching to the pavilion earlier than Stamford Bridge had completed interesting.
Etsevao added Chelsea’s second halfway by way of the second half as Chelsea dominated, earlier than Liam Delap got here off the bench so as to add the third.
Yamal’s night time ended within the 79th minute, trudging off the sector and shaking his head as he pulled on a jacket. Estevao’s ended two minutes later to a standing ovation. This was arguably Chelsea’s finest efficiency for the reason that Membership World Cup closing, on an evening once they confirmed what is perhaps potential this season. Nevertheless it was additionally the night time when Estevao conjured recollections of Messi, and received the battle of the 2 finest 18-year-olds on the earth.
