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Every action Lamine Yamal executes exudes class. At times when he is moving about looking disheartened, which he demonstrated often at Stamford Bridge, he does it with the effortless grace of a superstar. He gently touches the ball rather than hitting it, generating impressive power from minimal back-lift. He functions on the balls of his feet, continually aware, repeatedly able to go in any direction. He slides rather than dashes, but does so at velocity. He has already finished as runner-up in the Ballon d’Or. But he was not the finest 18-year-old right-flank forward on the pitch on Tuesday, nowhere near.

Developing Talent Estêvão Leaves His Imprint

In Estêvão, brought in from Palmeiras for a fee that could increase to £52m, Chelsea have acquired 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 most recent four starts for Chelsea have yielded four goals, and he also scored in both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break. It’s very early, but Brazil may at last have uncovered the player they desperately wanted to have identified in Neymar.

Estêvão spectacular goal illuminates Chelsea’s dominant win over 10-man Barcelona

Estêvão’s goal, executed after 55 minutes to definitively 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 masterpiece. In part, it was about Chelsea regaining the ball back and Reece James’s pass, but mainly it was about the Brazilian darting at terrifying speed, feinting left and right, brushing off markers and driving a shot high past the goalkeeper.

Head-to-Head Battle and Physical Advantage

The slogan of “You’re just a shit Estevao,” directed at Lamine Yamal may have been exaggeratedly harsh on the Spaniard, and may not have scanned, but there was no disputing which of the two had come out on top.

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 enhance that.

It’s been a characteristic 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 overwhelmed Real Madrid. Newcastle beat Athletic Bilbao fundamentally by having some more physical blokes to attack balls in the box.

And Chelsea, after some nervous moments in the opening quarter, by the halfway point of the first half had asserted their authority on Barcelona. The tactic of using Pedro Neto and his pace through the middle was convincingly validated.

Set-Piece Dominance and Resilient Toughness

The opener had felt approaching for at least five minutes before it arrived. It was no major 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 ordinary items. Barcelona can’t score a regular own goal, of course, but have to enhance it with a one-two in a tight space and a skillful move. However embellished the finish, though, the reason was a slick interchange from a corner that opened up space for a Chelsea player to cross for a teammate.

But the edge doesn’t just appear from an goal-scoring point of view. Lamine Yamal got the better of Marc Cucurella only infrequently and seemed at times shocked, perhaps even demoralized by a couple of blocks.

That irritation would have serious consequences as it led to Lamine Yamal diving over Cucurella’s leg in an attempt to win a free-kick, which in turn led to Araújo being booked for his protests. When Araújo – continued fuming? Mindful of his side’s weaknesses? Outsmarted? – dived at the opponent a few minutes later the outcome was inevitable and effectively decided the game.

Game Plan Differences and Final Outcome

Perhaps Barcelona could have defended deeply, defended in a deep line and hoped to pinch something on the break, as Everton had done at Manchester United on Monday, but it’s hard to envision two managers more contrasting in attitude 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 reduced to 10. They dropped off a bit, but Chelsea still kept pushing into the space behind the back line, scored a third from a substitute and, if they’d truly needed to, could probably have notched a couple more.

It’s only the initial phase and things can change in the spring as collected fatigue begins to weaken at English sides but the tendency of Premier League dominance through quickness and force is obvious.

Lamine Yamal was withdrawn with 10 minutes to go, strolling to the bench with a sense of rueful resignation, accompanied by a handful of half-hearted jeers. But there was no need to goad him; the fight was already over and decisively so. Estevao, the clear victor, left the pitch to a rapturous ovation three minutes later. His were the accolades, and Chelsea’s the points.