Enzo Maresca believes he is lucky to be the manager of “special” talent Estevao Willian after the teenager turned in his best Chelsea display in a 5-1 thumping of 10-man Ajax at Stamford Bridge.
The 18-year-old became the Blues’ youngest Champions League goalscorer when he struck a remarkably-confident penalty into the top corner to make it 4-1 at half-time, and with his team cruising, he tormented the four-time European champions to further raise the dizzying expectations that have accompanied his arrival in west London.
He was one of three teenagers on the scoresheet for Chelsea as Marc Guiu opened the scoring with his first of the season and Tyrique George capped things off with the fifth, whilst 17-year-old Reggie Walsh was given 25 minutes as a substitute to become the club’s youngest player in this competition.
“Very proud,” said Maresca, who made 10 changes to his line-up for the second of six games in 21 days. “It’s a special night for the club and its young players.
“It’s the strategy of the club. We have so many young players. We were the youngest side in the Premier League last year, this year the same way.
“We changed tonight 10 players. It’s not easy to change so many but we needed to do that, otherwise payers are going to struggle.”
The star of the show was undoubtedly Estevao.
“With young players, most of the time you’re worried,” said Maresca. “They play one or two games and score and they think they’re already top players. The good thing about Estevao is, we don’t need to be worried about that.
“He’s very humble and polite, wants to work hard. He has fantastic family who are very close to him. He’s a special player but we don’t have to be worried that he thinks he knows how good he is. He’s a very simply guy.
“I feel very lucky to be his manager. The fans pay tickets to see players like Cole (Palmer) and Estevao.”
The Dutch side were atrocious, a shadow of the team that were within seconds of reaching the final of this competition in 2019, as John Heitinga’s team suffered the ignominy of becoming the first Ajax side since 1958 to let in four in the first half of a European match.
Chelsea were rampant once visiting captain Kenneth Taylor had been sent off for serious foul play in the 17th minute.
Immediately they led through Guiu before Moises Caicedo’s deflected shot from range made it two.
There was then the bizarre spectacle of three penalties in 18 frantic minutes, first by Wout Weghorst – who briefly restored the visitors’ interest in the match – before Enzo Fernandez and Estevao replied in kind to make it 4-1 at the break.
George made it five just after the re-start, after which Estevao tormented Ajax with a wonderful showcase of attacking creativity, tormenting full-back Youri Baas on the wing and twice going close via an overhead kick sent just wide and a bullet drive saved by the goalkeeper.
“We go always game by game,” said Maresca. “It’s a win but it it doesn’t mean too much in terms of the season.”
