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Everything Lamine Yamal performs oozes class. On occasions where he is moving about appearing disheartened, which he demonstrated frequently at Stamford Bridge, he does it with the effortless style of a top player. He softly controls the ball rather than hitting it, generating extraordinary power from minimal back-lift. He operates on the balls of his feet, constantly aware, always able to go either way. He slides rather than runs, but does so at velocity. He has already finished as silver medalist in the Ballon d’Or. But he was not the finest 18-year-old right-flank forward on the pitch on Tuesday, far from it.

Emerging Prospect Estevao Leaves His Impact

In Estevao, recruited from Palmeiras for a fee that could rise to £52m, Chelsea have acquired a player who could turn out as one of the top-tier. He has been making more and more of an impression since scoring the last-minute winner against Liverpool last month. His previous four starts for Chelsea have brought four goals, and he also struck in both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break. It’s very early, but Brazil may finally have found the player they desperately wanted to have secured in Neymar.

Estevao wonder goal brightens Chelsea’s impressive win over 10-man Barcelona

Estêvão’s goal, converted after 55 minutes to completely seal a win that hadn’t really been in doubt from the moment the Barcelona captain was red-carded 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 frightening speed, deceiving left and right, shaking off defenders and hammering a shot high past the goalkeeper.

Head-to-Head Duel and Powerful Superiority

The chant of “You’re just a shit Estevao,” directed at Lamine Yamal may have been exaggeratedly harsh on the Spaniard, and may not have rhymed, but there was no disputing 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 durable player – and regular Premier League experience is only expected to strengthen that.

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

And Chelsea, after some shaky moments in the opening quarter, by the halfway point of the first half had imposed themselves on Barcelona. The strategy of using Pedro Neto and his pace through the middle was decisively justified.

Dead-Ball Dominance and Backline Strength

The initial strike had felt imminent for at least five minutes before it came. It was no big surprise it came from a set play, an area of the game in which it feels 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 short pass in a confined space and a fancy flick. However elaborate the finish, though, the cause was a slick interchange from a corner that created space for Marc Cucurella to cross for Enzo Fernández.

But the superiority doesn’t just show from an goal-scoring point of view. Lamine Yamal got the better of his marker only occasionally and seemed at times stunned, perhaps even disheartened by a couple of interceptions.

That frustration would have significant consequences as it led to Lamine Yamal diving over the defender's leg in an attempt to win a free-kick, which in turn led to the Barcelona captain being booked for his arguments. When Araújo – remained angry? Conscious of his side’s limitations? Outsmarted? – charged at Cucurella a few minutes later the conclusion was inevitable and practically decided the game.

Tactical Contrasts and Closing Conclusion

Perhaps Barcelona could have hunkered down, protected in a low block and tried 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 approach than the Everton boss and the Barcelona coach.

A team organized to defend with a line as high as Barcelona’s really has few options when they are cut down to 10. They dropped off a bit, but Chelsea still kept pushing into the space behind the back line, got a third from a substitute and, if they’d actually needed to, could probably have added a couple more.

It’s only the group stage and things can evolve in the spring as collected fatigue begins to weaken at English sides but the tendency of Premier League supremacy through pace and strength is obvious.

Lamine Yamal was replaced with 10 minutes left, strolling to the bench with a sense of sorrowful submission, accompanied by a scattering of unenthusiastic jeers. But there was no need to provoke him; the fight was already lost and definitively so. Estevao, the undeniable victor, departed the pitch to a enthusiastic ovation three minutes later. His were the praises, and Chelsea’s the win.