Estêvão Willian has risen as the teenage star of Chelsea. Signed last summer from Palmeiras after playing FIFA Club World Cup (where the winger scored, precisely, against Chelsea), the 18-year-old has earned his presence in the team with stunning goals like the one that started Liverpool's nightmare last month. Against Barcelona, he scored the second goal in a 3-0 rout in Champions League, the most stunning goal of the the match, leaving defender Alejandro Balde behind and shooting to the roof of the net through goalkeeper Joan García.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea manager, said the goal "reminded me of the one he scored against us in the Club World Cup - very similar, the same action", a goal that didn't stop Chelsea from becoming World Champions in the summer competition.
The Blues manager praised Estêvão, who won the much hyped duel between teenager stars: Estêvão Willian was born in April 2007, only three months older than Ballon d'Or runner-up Lamine Yamal, who has not enjoyed his best season start due to a series of injuries and insignificant performances against the top clubs Barça has played this year, defeats against PSG, Real Madrid, and now Chelsea.
However, as Maresca praised Estêvão, he also included Yamal in his plea in favour of the teenagers. When asked by the press if Estêvão reminded him of Messi, Maresca basically asked people to leave them alone: "With him, Lamine, they are so young at 18 that if you start to talk about Messi, Ronaldo, I think it's too much pressure for young boys like them. At 18, they need to enjoy, they need to arrive at the training ground happy, but when you start to compare them with the Messi or with the Ronaldo, I think it's too much for them."