Champions League Shocks: Estevao Shines as Man City and Newcastle Stumble
In a night of unexpected twists and turns in the Champions League, Chelsea's young Brazilian sensation, Estevao Willian, stole the spotlight with a dazzling performance against Barcelona, while Manchester City and Newcastle United suffered surprising defeats.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea delivered a dominant 3-0 victory over Barcelona, with Estevao scoring a memorable solo goal that is already being hailed as a sign of his immense potential. The 18-year-old winger, who joined Chelsea from Palmeiras last summer, tormented the Barcelona defense with his skill and pace. His stunning goal, where he skipped past multiple defenders before unleashing an unstoppable shot, showcased his exceptional talent and left Lamine Yamal, Barcelona's own highly-rated youngster, in his shadow. An own goal and a late strike from Liam Delap sealed a comprehensive victory for Chelsea. Barcelona's night was further compounded by a red card to Ronald Araújo, leaving them with ten men for much of the match. Chelsea's win propelled them into a strong position to qualify for the round of 16.
Meanwhile, in Manchester, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at home to Bayer Leverkusen. Guardiola's decision to make ten changes to his starting lineup backfired, as City looked disjointed and lacked their usual attacking threat. Alejandro Grimaldo's first-half strike and Patrik Schick's header in the second half secured a comfortable win for the German side. Despite the introduction of Erling Haaland, City were unable to find a way back into the game, marking their first Champions League loss of the season at home. This defeat leaves City in a precarious position in their group, and raises questions about Guardiola's team selection.
Newcastle United's Champions League campaign also suffered a setback as they fell to a 2-1 defeat away to Marseille. Harvey Barnes had given Newcastle an early lead, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's second-half double turned the game around for the French side. Aubameyang's goals, one coming just seconds after the restart, highlighted Newcastle's "lapses of concentration," as bemoaned by manager Eddie Howe. Despite a strong start to their Champions League campaign, this defeat leaves Newcastle's qualification hopes hanging in the balance. Defender Dan Burn lamented the team's "10-15 minutes of madness" that ultimately cost them the game.
