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Chelsea wonderkid Estevao described blowing away Barcelona as the 'perfect night' as his spectacular solo goal saw the Brazilian upstage his fellow teenage superstar Lamine Yamal.
Enzo Maresca’s side reserved their best performance of the season for this Champions League clash. They not only scored three goals but also had another three disallowed.
Estevao in particular rose to the occasion on a night that had been billed as a battle of the 18-year-old wonderkids between him and Yamal, and Chelsea's youngster said afterwards: ‘I don't really have any words to sum up how I'm feeling right now. It really was the perfect night.
‘I'm just grateful to God for everything that has happened for me. Onwards and upwards from here. It all happened very quickly for me. It sort of happened before I knew it. I just found some space, wiggled my way through and then scored that goal.
‘It was such a special moment for me in my career. I hope to score many more. It was definitely the best moment of my career so far. I want to score many more for many years. I'm so grateful that my family were here watching me.
‘From the moment I arrived here, I felt such a connection with the fans. I'm just so happy that I could score for them and make them happy. I hope to keep making them happy and score more goals for them.’
Chelsea teenager Estevao has described blowing away Barcelona as the 'perfect night'
The 18-year-old wonderkid scored a sensational solo goal as Chelsea beat Barcelona 3-0
He upstaged Barca's Lamine Yamal in a match dubbed the battle of the 18-year-old wonderkids
Estevao’s strike was sandwiched by a clumsy own goal from Jules Kounde and Liam Delap coming on as a substitute to score for the first time this season.
Maresca was quizzed on whether Estevao’s finish reminded him of Lionel Messi, though the Blues boss pushed back on those comparisons in a bid to protect the teenager.
‘Estevao needs to relax, he needs to enjoy, he needs to session, he needs to play football,’ Maresca said. ‘Him, Lamine (Yamal), they are so young, 18, that if you start to talk about Messi, (Cristiano) Ronaldo, I think it's too much pressure for young boys like them.
‘They are 18, they need to enjoy, they need to arrive at the training ground happy. But when you start to compare them with Messi or Ronaldo, I think it's too much for them.’
Maresca rewarded Chelsea’s players by giving them two days off after beating Barcelona, with Premier League leaders Arsenal the next visitors to Stamford Bridge this Sunday.
