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Every action Lamine Yamal performs radiates class. Even when he is strolling about seeming disheartened, which he demonstrated often at Stamford Bridge, he does it with the casual grace of a top player. He softly controls the ball rather than kicking it, creating remarkable power from restricted back-lift. He operates on the balls of his feet, continually alert, repeatedly able to go both ways. He moves smoothly rather than sprints, but does so at pace. He has already finished as silver medalist in the Ballon d’Or. But he was not the finest 18-year-old right-sided forward on the pitch on Tuesday, not even close.

Rising Prospect Estêvão Leaves His Impact

In Estêvão, recruited from Palmeiras for a fee that could rise to £52m, Chelsea have secured a player who could evolve as one of the top-tier. He has been building more and more of an impact since scoring the late winner against Liverpool last month. His last four starts for Chelsea have yielded four goals, and he also struck in both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break. It’s premature, but Brazil may finally have found the player they urgently wanted to have found in Neymar.

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

Estêvão’s goal, converted after 55 minutes to absolutely seal a win that hadn’t fully been in doubt from the moment the Barcelona captain was sent off just before half-time, was a exemplary. In part, it was about Chelsea winning the ball back and a teammate's pass, but mostly it was about the Brazilian darting at frightening speed, dummying left and right, shaking off markers and lashing a shot high past the goalkeeper.

Direct Battle and Powerful Superiority

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 fit, but there was no disputing 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 expected to strengthen 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 faced difficulties physically in the Premier League this season but dominated Real Madrid. Newcastle beat Athletic Bilbao fundamentally by having some more physical blokes to challenge for balls in the box.

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

Dead-Ball Mastery and Resilient Solidity

The opener had felt close for at least five minutes before it arrived. It was no big surprise it came from a dead-ball situation, an area of the game in which it appears like Premier League clubs are operating with gems while the rest of the world is still using ordinary items. Barcelona can’t score a normal own goal, of course, but have to adorn it with a quick exchange in a narrow space and a skillful move. However ornate the finish, though, the origin was a smooth interchange from a corner that generated space for Marc Cucurella to cross for a teammate.

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

That annoyance 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 the Barcelona captain being yellow-carded for his complaints. When Araújo – was he still seething? Conscious of his side’s weaknesses? Beaten? – charged at Cucurella a few minutes later the result was certain and virtually decided the game.

Strategic Differences and Closing Conclusion

Perhaps Barcelona could have defended deeply, defended in a deep line and tried to pinch something on the break, as Everton had done at Manchester United on Monday, but it’s hard to picture two managers more diverse in attitude 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 cut down to 10. They dropped off a bit, but Chelsea still kept driving into the space behind the back line, secured a third from a substitute and, if they’d really needed to, could likely have added a couple more.

It’s only the group stage and things can shift in the spring as built-up fatigue begins to drain at English sides but the trend of Premier League supremacy through speed and strength is obvious.

Lamine Yamal was withdrawn with 10 minutes left, wandering to the bench with a sense of regretful resignation, accompanied by a scattering of half-hearted jeers. But there was no need to goad him; the contest was already finished and definitively so. Estevao, the obvious victor, left the pitch to a ecstatic ovation three minutes later. His were the honours, and Chelsea’s the points.