Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has urged Blues wonderkid Estevao Willian to “relax” amid comparisons with legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Estevao has begin his spell as a Chelsea player in grand style, putting in good performance whenever he’s called upon. His brilliance continued on Tuesday night as the London club defeated Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
The Brazilian teenager doubled his team’s lead at the start of the second half after Jule Kounde’s own goal handed them the lead. Liam Delap then scored a third to seal a memorable win for Maresca’s team.
Estevao’s goal saw him match Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe’s record in Europe as he became the third teenager to score in each of his first three Champions League starts.
Enzo Maresca with Estêvão during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
However, Maresca insist the 18-year-old must relax .
After the Barcelona clash, the Italian coach told reporters: “Estevao needs to relax. He needs to enjoy, he needs [training] sessions. He needs to play football. Him, Lamine, they are so young, 18, that if you start to talk about Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, I think it is too much pressure for young boys like them. They need to enjoy, arrive at the training ground, happy, session. When you start to compare with Messi or Ronaldo, I think it is too much for them.”
Maresca also shared some valuable advice for Estevao before the game, as he said: “Estevao is already playing a high level, starting already with Brazil. For sure, he is very young, for sure, he can do many things better, but we are very happy with him. Now, for me, it’s more or less the same thing I said about Pedri, it is nice for people who love football to watch players like Estevao, Lamine Yamal, Pedri – this is the beauty of football. We are happy Estevao is with us and for sure he is going to do well. He is going to be an important player for sure for this club, no doubt. The most important thing for Estevao is that he has to enjoy fully, he has to be happy, and not think about being better than this player or another player, but only think about himself and try to be better than himself day by day, try to work hard, improve and for sure he is going to be a top player for this club.”
Reacting to his own performance, Estevao said: “I don’t really have any words to sum up how I am feeling. It was all very quick for me. I found some space and wiggled my way through. I hope I keep scoring for many more years. It really was the perfect night. [My goal] was such a special moment for me in my career. From the moment I arrived here, I felt such a connection with the fans. I’m just so happy I could score for them and make them happy.”
Chelsea will be eager to continue their good form this weekend as they face Arsenal in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash.
