Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona: Estevao and Lamine Yamal can be next Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, says Enzo Maresca

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca says Estevao and Lamine Yamal are probably going to be the next Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Estevao outshone Yamal in the first meeting between the two best 18-year-olds in world football, scoring a stunning goal as Chelsea dominated 10-man Barcelona in a 3-0 win to move into the Champions League top eight.

Yamal, who came second at the Ballon d'Or awards, endured a difficult night at Stamford Bridge as his Spain team-mate, Marc Cucurella, shut him out the game with a huge defensive performance.

• Report and ratings: Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona
• As it happened | Teams | Stats | Live CL table
• Champions League 2025/26: How does league phase work?
• Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone?
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW?

Barcelona and Brazil star Raphinha, team-mate to both Yamal and Estevao, said before the game that he expects the duo to replicate Messi and Ronaldo by fighting for the prize of best player in the world for years to come.

And, speaking to BeIN Sports, the Chelsea boss was in full agreement: "As Raphinha said, probably in the next 10, 15 years, Estevao and Lamine Yamal are probably going to be the next Messi and Ronaldo.

"But for both, they are 18. They need to enjoy, try to improve every day. This the most important thing for them."

However, in between that interview and his subsequent press conference the Italian boss had a change of heart.

When prompted whether Estevao's glide past Pau Cubasi in the build-up to his goal had reminded him of a young Messi, Maresca replied: "The goal Estevao scored reminded me of the one he scored against us in the Club World Cup. It's very similar, the same action.

"He needs to relax. He needs to enjoy his football, he needs to play football. Him and Lamine [Yamal] are such young boys at 18, if you start to talk about Ronaldo and Messi, that's too much pressure for young boys like them.

"They need to arrive at the training ground happy for sessions, but when you start to compare them with those two, it's too much for them."

Estevao: Most special moment in my career

Estevao says scoring against Barcelona was the "most special moment" in his young career.

The Brazil international left Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi for dead before firing into the roof of the net with his weaker right foot to put Chelsea 2-0 up on the night.

With that goal, Estevao became the third teenager to score in each of his first three Champions League starts after Kylian Mbappe (18y 113d) and Erling Haaland (19y 107d).

"I don't really have any words to sum up how I am feeling right now," Estevao told Amazon Prime. "It really was the perfect night. I am just grateful to God for making everything happen for me. Onwards and upwards from here.

"It was all very quick for me [for my goal]. It happened before I knew it. I just found some space and wiggled my way through and scored the goal. It was such a special moment for me in my career and I hope to score many more.

"Yes, it was definitely the most special moment in my career. I hope I keep scoring more and more for many years."

Cucurella: Estevao catching up with Yamal quickly

Chelsea and Spain defender Marc Cucurella - a team-mate to each of these prodigious talents - believes Estevao is behind Yamal, but catching up quickly 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 with his club.

Meanwhile, Estevao had not started playing in Europe until he moved to Chelsea in the summer from Palmeiras.

"The main difference is that Estevao maybe arrived now to Europe and [he is] maybe a few years back to Lamine [Yamal]. But he showed today that he has a lot of personality and he has good quality."

Asked if Estevao is catching up quickly to Yamal: "Yeah. He's a special guy. We have good people in the dressing room, so hopefully we can help him."

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona: Estevao and Lamine Yamal can be next Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, says Enzo Maresca