Chelsea Overpower Barcelona with Commanding 3-0 Triumph at Stamford Bridge

Key Takeaways:

• Chelsea secured a 3:0 victory over Barcelona in their 5th Champions League match
• Estevao became the tournament’s second youngest player to score in his first three starts, netting in the 55th minute
• Following the win, Chelsea climbed to 5th place with 10 points, while Barcelona fell to 15th position with 7 points

Match Overview

Chelsea delivered a dominant home performance in the Champions League group stage, defeating Barcelona 3:0 at Stamford Bridge to claim their third win in the competition. The Blues, who saw three further efforts ruled out, took control with Jules Kounde’s own goal in the 27th minute and capitalised further following Ronald Araújo’s dismissal just before half-time.

WHAT A NIGHT! 🤩#CFC | #UCL pic.twitter.com/ZU4bLo80PY

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 25, 2025

First Half: Early Pressure and Defensive Errors

From the outset, Chelsea imposed their authority. In the 4th minute, Garnacho crossed to Fofana, who set up Enzo Fernandez for a finish into an empty net. However, Fofana was adjudged to have handled the ball before the assist, leading to the goal’s disallowance. Moments later, Lamine Yamal orchestrated a chance for Ferran Torres, but the Spanish international was unable to beat the goalkeeper.

Chelsea had the ball in the net again in the 22nd minute, with Enzo Fernandez converting from a set-piece cross. The effort, however, was chalked off for offside. The breakthrough came in the 27th minute: Cucurella narrowly stayed onside and whipped in a cross, which Garnacho flicked in the penalty area. A collision between Ferran Torres and Jules Kounde at the goal line resulted in Kounde inadvertently steering the ball into his own net to make it 1:0.

Barcelona’s woes increased in the 44th minute when captain Ronald Araújo received a second yellow card for a rash challenge on Cucurella, reducing the visitors to ten men. Previously, Araújo’s first booking had raised eyebrows, as it stemmed from protesting a referee decision regarding Yamal.

Second Half: Youthful Record and Decisive Blows

Both managers made changes at half-time, with Hansi Flick replacing Ferran Torres with Marcus Rashford for Barcelona and Chelsea introducing Andrey Santos for Malo Gusto. Chelsea appeared to have scored again in the 51st minute through Santos, but an offside in the build-up saw the goal disallowed.

The Blues’ relentless pressure paid off in the 55th minute. The 18-year-old Estevao picked up possession, evaded two defenders, and fired underneath the crossbar, etching his name in Champions League history as the second youngest player to score in his first three starts – following Kylian Mbappé and ahead of Erling Haaland.

Substitute Liam Delap rounded off the evening in the 75th minute, finishing a slick move from an Enzo Fernandez pass. Initially flagged offside, VAR confirmed the goal, sealing a comprehensive 3:0 win for the Londoners.

Standings and Implications

Chelsea’s third success in the group stage propelled them to fifth in the standings on 10 points ahead of the remaining fixtures, while Barcelona, with 7 points, dropped to 15th place.

Scorers

Starting Line-Ups and Key Changes