Estévao Willian vs Lamine Yamal – How the Chelsea striker outdid the Barcelona prodigy

It has been billed as the battle of the two prodigy teenage girls – but for the first time, Lamine Yamal finds himself in the shadows, away from the limelight.

This was Willian Estevao’s night.

With Chelsea already leading 1-0 and Barcelona down to 10 men, the 18-year-old produced a truly memorable moment to light up an already buzzing Stamford Bridge pitch.

After receiving a pass from Reece James, Estevao cut the ball inside, turned Alejandro Balde upside down, and then fired a powerful shot into the roof of the net past goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

As former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin said: “Start believing the hype.”

“The goal is the thing everyone will see, and it was fantastic in so many ways,” Nevin told BBC Radio 5 Live after the 3-0 win. “The footwork was very tight, and it was a great, great finish.

“But all the other parts of his game, the intelligence, the movement, the choice of position… he’s a natural. Because usually footballers are called ‘natural’ and they’re not – but it seems very easy for him. Some players move differently than other players, they’re so agile and elegant. It’s nice to see.”

Speaking on Amazon Prime, former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge added: “The predictions and expectations were that it would be a Yamal night and it would be all about him. But you see Estafão tonight and it was absolutely fantastic.”

Yamal’s evening ended in the 80th minute, as he was substituted to boos with the game already lost.

After just two minutes and 40 seconds, Estevao left to a standing ovation.