Maresca Cautions Against High Expectations for Chelsea’s Estêvão

LONDON — Enzo Maresca has cautioned that drawing comparisons between Chelsea’s teenage prodigy Estêvão and football icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may impose “excessive pressure” on the young athlete.

Estêvão shone as Chelsea secured a commanding 3-0 victory over 10-man Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, showcasing his talent with a remarkable second goal. The match saw Jules Koundé score an unfortunate own goal in the 27th minute, followed by Ronald Araújo’s reckless dismissal in the 44th minute, leaving the LaLiga champions trailing at half-time.

In the second half, Estêvão skillfully received a pass from Reece James on the right flank, maneuvering past Pau Cubarsí and Araújo before unleashing a powerful shot into the net, surpassing goalkeeper Joan García.

With this goal, Estêvão became only the third teenager in Champions League history to score in each of his first three appearances, joining the ranks of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. While this achievement has led to comparisons with Messi during his prime, Maresca emphasized the importance of allowing both Estêvão and his fellow 18-year-old teammate Lamine Yamal the space to grow as individuals.

“Estêvão needs to relax. He should enjoy himself and focus on training and playing football. Both he and Lamine are just 18; when you start making comparisons to Messi or Ronaldo, it puts too much pressure on them. They need to enjoy their time at training, feeling happy and excited,” Maresca stated.

Since joining Chelsea from Palmeiras last summer, Estêvão has netted five goals, but he described Tuesday’s goal as particularly special. “I can hardly put into words what I’m feeling. Everything happened so quickly; I found some space and maneuvered through. I hope to keep scoring for many years to come,” he expressed.

He continued, “It was truly the perfect night. That goal was a significant moment in my career. From the moment I arrived, I felt a strong connection with the fans. I am thrilled to have scored for them and to bring them joy.”

Substitute Liam Delap capped off the scoring with 17 minutes left, elevating Chelsea to fifth place in the standings, while last season’s semifinalists Barcelona slipped to 15th.

Chelsea’s next challenge is against Premier League leaders Arsenal at home on Sunday, where they aim to narrow the gap at the top to just three points.

Maresca reflected on the victory, stating, “The atmosphere was fantastic, especially in front of our home fans. It’s always rewarding to share such moments. However, I advised the players to take the next 48 hours to rest and recover, as our focus will shift to Arsenal starting Friday. For now, recovery is the priority in this moment.”

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.