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Every action Lamine Yamal performs exudes excellence. At times when he is walking about appearing disheartened, which he did quite a bit at Stamford Bridge, he does it with the effortless elegance of a star. He gently touches the ball rather than striking it, producing remarkable power from limited back-lift. He plays on the balls of his feet, always alert, repeatedly able to go either way. He glides rather than sprints, but does so at velocity. He has already finished as silver medalist in the Ballon d’Or. But he was not the best 18-year-old right-wing forward on the pitch on Tuesday, not even close.

Rising Talent Estêvão Creates His Mark

In Estêvão, recruited from Palmeiras for a fee that could climb to £52m, Chelsea have recruited a player who could end up as one of the top-tier. He has been making more and more of an impression since getting the dying moments winner against Liverpool last month. His previous four starts for Chelsea have yielded four goals, and he also found the net in both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break. It’s very early, but Brazil may eventually have discovered the player they desperately wanted to have identified in Neymar.

Estevao spectacular goal illuminates Chelsea’s impressive win over 10-man Barcelona

Estêvão’s goal, executed after 55 minutes to completely seal a win that hadn’t fully 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 retrieving the ball back and Reece James’s pass, but mostly it was about the Brazilian sprinting at incredible speed, deceiving left and right, shaking off defenders and lashing a shot high past the goalkeeper.

Face-to-Face Contest and Physical Superiority

The slogan of “You’re just a inferior Estêvão,” directed at Lamine Yamal may have been overly harsh on the Spaniard, and may not have scanned, but there was no questioning 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 frequent Premier League experience is only likely to amplify that.

It’s been a characteristic of the Champions League this season just how much of a athletic edge Premier League teams have over their European rivals. Liverpool have struggled physically in the Premier League this season but outpowered Real Madrid. Newcastle beat Athletic Bilbao basically by having some larger blokes to challenge for balls in the box.

And Chelsea, after some nervous moments in the opening quarter, by the midway point of the first half had asserted their authority on Barcelona. The strategy of using a speedy attacker and his pace through the middle was convincingly validated.

Dead-Ball Dominance and Defensive Toughness

The initial strike had felt approaching 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 appears like Premier League clubs are playing with precious stones while the rest of the world is still using basic tools. Barcelona can’t score a standard own goal, of course, but have to embellish it with a quick exchange in a narrow space and a fancy flick. However elaborate the finish, though, the origin was a precise interchange from a corner that opened up space for a Chelsea player to cross for a teammate.

But the advantage doesn’t just appear from an offensive point of view. Lamine Yamal got the better of his marker only occasionally and seemed at times stunned, perhaps even discouraged by a couple of blocks.

That annoyance would have serious consequences as it led to Lamine Yamal plunging over Cucurella’s leg in an attempt to win a free-kick, which in turn led to the Barcelona captain being cautioned for his complaints. When the defender – continued fuming? Mindful of his side’s limitations? Beaten? – dived at the opponent a few minutes later the result was inevitable and practically decided the game.

Strategic Variations and Ending Outcome

Perhaps Barcelona could have dug in, shielded in a low block and aimed to snatch something on the break, as Everton had done at Manchester United on Monday, but it’s hard to picture two managers more diverse in mindset than the Everton boss and Hansi Flick.

A team organized to defend with a line as high as Barcelona’s really has no escape when they are reduced to 10. They retreated a bit, but Chelsea still kept advancing into the space behind the back line, got a third from a substitute and, if they’d really needed to, could possibly have scored a couple more.

It’s only the initial phase and things can shift in the spring as collected fatigue begins to sap at English sides but the pattern of Premier League dominance through quickness and power is clear.

Lamine Yamal was substituted with 10 minutes left, wandering to the bench with a sense of rueful resignation, pursued by a scattering of weak jeers. But there was no need to provoke him; the contest was already over and decisively so. Estevao, the obvious victor, left the pitch to a enthusiastic ovation three minutes later. His were the praises, and Chelsea’s the victory.