Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca says Estevao and Lamine Yamal are most likely going to be the following Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Estevao outshone Yamal within the first assembly between the 2 greatest 18-year-olds in world soccer, scoring a shocking objective as Chelsea dominated 10-man Barcelona in a 3-0 win to maneuver into the Champions League high eight.
Yamal, who got here second on the Ballon d’Or awards, endured a tough evening at Stamford Bridge as his Spain team-mate, Marc Cucurella, shut him out the sport with an enormous defensive efficiency.
Barcelona and Brazil star Raphinha, team-mate to each Yamal and Estevao, stated earlier than the sport that he expects the duo to copy Messi and Ronaldo by preventing for the prize of greatest participant on this planet for years to come back.
And, chatting with BeIN Sports activities, the Chelsea boss was in full settlement: “As Raphinha stated, most likely within the subsequent 10, 15 years, Estevao and Lamine Yamal are most likely going to be the following Messi and Ronaldo.
“However for each, they’re 18. They should get pleasure from, attempt to enhance day by day. This crucial factor for them.”
Estevao of Chelsea celebrates scoring his workforce’s second objective towards Barcelona
Nonetheless, in between that interview and his subsequent press convention the Italian boss had a change of coronary heart.
When prompted whether or not Estevao’s glide previous Pau Cubasi within the build-up to his objective had reminded him of a younger Messi, Maresca replied: “The objective Estevao scored jogged my memory of the one he scored towards us within the Membership World Cup. It’s totally related, the identical motion.
“He must calm down. He must get pleasure from his soccer, he must play soccer. Him and Lamine [Yamal] are such younger boys at 18, if you happen to begin to speak about Ronaldo and Messi, that is an excessive amount of strain for younger boys like them.
“They should arrive on the coaching floor blissful for classes, however once you begin to examine them with these two, it is an excessive amount of for them.”
Estevao: Most particular second in my profession
Estevao’s strike earned him a 3rd objective in as many Champions League video games for Chelsea since his summer time transfer
Estevao says scoring towards Barcelona was the “most particular second” in his younger profession.
The Brazil worldwide left Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi for lifeless earlier than firing into the roof of the online together with his weaker proper foot to place Chelsea 2-0 up on the evening.
With that objective, Estevao grew to become the third teenager to attain in every of his first three Champions League begins after Kylian Mbappe (18y 113d) and Erling Haaland (19y 107d).
“I do not actually have any phrases to sum up how I’m feeling proper now,” Estevao advised Amazon Prime. “It actually was the right evening. I’m simply grateful to God for making all the things occur for me. Onwards and upwards from right here.
Steve Sidwell calls Chelsea’s Champions League win over Barcelona at Stamford Bridge sensational.
“It was all very fast for me [for my goal]. It occurred earlier than I knew it. I simply discovered some house and wiggled my method by and scored the objective. It was such a particular second for me in my profession and I hope to attain many extra.
“Sure, it was positively probably the most particular second in my profession. I hope I maintain scoring an increasing number of for a few years.”
Cucurella: Estevao catching up with Yamal shortly
Chelsea and Spain defender Marc Cucurella – a team-mate to every of those prodigious abilities – believes Estevao is behind Yamal, however catching up shortly to the Barcelona star.
Yamal made his Barcelona debut aged 15 and is already a European champion with Spain and a two-time LaLiga winner together with his membership.
In the meantime, Estevao had not began enjoying in Europe till he moved to Chelsea in the summertime from Palmeiras.
“The principle distinction is that Estevao perhaps arrived now to Europe and [he is] perhaps a couple of years again to Lamine [Yamal]. However he confirmed at present that he has plenty of persona and he has good high quality.”
Requested if Estevao is catching up shortly to Yamal: “Yeah. He is a particular man. Now we have good folks within the dressing room, so hopefully we might help him.”
