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Every action Lamine Yamal executes exudes excellence. At times when he is walking about looking downcast, which he showed often at Stamford Bridge, he does it with the nonchalant style of a superstar. He gently touches the ball rather than hitting it, producing remarkable power from restricted back-lift. He functions on the balls of his feet, constantly vigilant, repeatedly able to go in any direction. He glides rather than runs, but does so at pace. He has already ended up as second place in the Ballon d’Or. But he was not the finest 18-year-old right-wing forward on the pitch on Tuesday, not even close.

Rising Star Estevao Leaves His Impact

In Estêvão, brought in from Palmeiras for a fee that could increase to £52m, Chelsea have acquired a player who could evolve as one of the very best. He has been building more and more of an impression since getting the last-minute winner against Liverpool last month. His most recent four starts for Chelsea have produced 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 finally have found the player they keenly wanted to have secured in Neymar.

Estevao amazing goal lights up Chelsea’s dominant win over 10-man Barcelona

Estevao's goal, executed after 55 minutes to definitively 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 masterpiece. In part, it was about Chelsea winning 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 markers and lashing a shot high past the goalkeeper.

Direct Battle and Robust Edge

The slogan of “You’re just a poor Estêvão,” directed at Lamine Yamal may have been exaggeratedly harsh on the Spaniard, and may not have rhymed, but there was no doubting which of the two had triumphed.

Estevao 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 set to enhance that.

It’s been a trait 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 dominated Real Madrid. Newcastle beat Athletic Bilbao basically by having some more physical 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 ploy of using Pedro Neto and his pace through the middle was decisively justified.

Restart Dominance and Resilient Solidity

The first goal had felt close for at least five minutes before it came. It was no great surprise it came from a set play, an area of the game in which it feels like Premier League clubs are operating with gems while the rest of the world is still using ordinary items. Barcelona can’t score a standard own goal, of course, but have to embellish it with a short pass in a tight space and a fancy flick. However ornate the finish, though, the origin was a slick interchange from a corner that opened up space for Marc Cucurella to cross for Enzo Fernández.

But the edge doesn’t just appear from an offensive point of view. Lamine Yamal got the better of Marc Cucurella only rarely and seemed at times stunned, perhaps even disheartened by a couple of blocks.

That annoyance would have significant 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? Aware of his side’s weaknesses? Outsmarted? – charged at the opponent a few minutes later the conclusion was unavoidable and practically settled the game.

Game Plan Differences and Final Result

Perhaps Barcelona could have dug in, defended in a defensive formation and aimed to grab something on the break, as Everton had done at Manchester United on Monday, but it’s hard to imagine two managers more contrasting in approach than the Everton boss and the Barcelona coach.

A team set up to defend with a line as high as Barcelona’s really has nowhere to go when they are diminished to 10. They retreated a bit, but Chelsea still kept advancing into the space behind the back line, got a third from Liam Delap and, if they’d really needed to, could probably have notched a couple more.

It’s only the opening round and things can shift in the spring as built-up fatigue begins to weaken at English sides but the trend of Premier League supremacy through pace and power is clear.

Lamine Yamal was replaced with 10 minutes left, wandering to the bench with a sense of regretful resignation, pursued by a handful of unenthusiastic jeers. But there was no need to provoke him; the contest was already lost and decisively so. Estevao, the clear victor, departed the pitch to a enthusiastic ovation three minutes later. His were the honours, and Chelsea’s the points.