Chelsea delivered a masterclass in dominance, thrashing a hapless Barcelona 3-0 in their UEFA Champions League league phase clash on Tuesday night, propelling the Blues into the top eight and breathing new life into their European campaign.
The rout began early when Barcelona’s Jules Koundé inadvertently nodded Pedro Neto’s angled cross into his own net in the 27th minute, gifting Chelsea a 1-0 lead amid a frantic scramble.
The visitors’ woes deepened just before halftime, as captain Ronald Araujo received a second yellow card for clattering into Marc Cucurella, reducing Barça to 10 men and tilting the tie decisively.
Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, showed no mercy after the break. Brazilian sensation Estêvão Willian, the 18-year-old wunderkind, stole the spotlight with a sublime individual effort in the 55th minute, a curling rocket from an impossible angle that outshone counterpart Lamine Yamal and left keeper Wojciech Szczęsny rooted.
“Estêvão’s goal was pure magic – a statement from our young guns,” beamed Maresca post-match.
The cherry on top came in the 73rd minute, with Liam Delap – fresh from his Club World Cup exploits – slotting home coolly on a lightning 2-on-1 break, exploiting Barcelona’s high line to seal the demolition.
Delap’s finish, upheld after a brief VAR check for offside, marked his first Chelsea goal since July and sent Stamford Bridge into raptures.
Barcelona, languishing in 15th with just seven points, now face a Herculean task to avoid the playoff round, needing victories in their final three games.
Manager Hansi Flick cut a forlorn figure: “The red card changed everything, but we must learn from this embarrassment.”
For Chelsea (now on 10 points), the win – their second in five, sets up a mouthwatering run-in, including Sunday’s Premier League showdown with leaders Arsenal. Wayne Rooney praised Cucurella’s shutdown of Yamal: “He was immense – a warrior.”
As Maresca eyes direct knockout qualification, this Blaugrana blueprint signals Chelsea’s intent: they’re not just contenders, they’re crushers.