Thierry Henry likens Estevao to Man Utd legend after Chelsea beat Barcelona

Filling in for Cole Palmer at just 18 years old, Estevao was a constant threat and delivered the game’s standout moment to score Chelsea’s second on a memorable evening at Stamford Bridge.

After receiving the ball out wide with Chelsea in control following Jules Kounde’s own goal, Estevao glided past Pau Cubarsi and fired a powerful shot past Joan Garcia, sending the home crowd into celebration.

Liam Delap added a third after replacing Alejandro Garnacho midway through the second half, and Chelsea held on to claim their third group-stage win, moving them up to fifth in the standings.

Estevao became only the third teenager to score in each of his first three Champions League starts, joining Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, with his thunderous 55th-minute strike in west London.

The young forward later said the goal was the most ‘special’ of his career so far — and the CBS Sports panel of Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, and Henry were full of praise for the Brazilian as they broke down the match.

‘You wouldn’t like to play against him,’ legendary ex-Arsenal and France striker Henry said.

‘I’m not saying that you wouldn’t be able to stop him but he’s coming at you all the time.

‘He’s reminding me of… I know it’s early doors… but that’s why I think Ryan Giggs was one of the best because he was coming at you all game.

‘Whether he’s having a good game or not a good game, he’s trying to test you all the time and see if you’re going to stop him or not. That’s how it is as a winger.’

Given the immense ability Estevao possesses, Henry believes Enzo Maresca would be unwise to restrict the freedom he displayed against Barcelona.

‘Coaches, at times, are scared of transition, counter-attack, playing against a low block: if you lose the ball too early then you’re going to get done being open,’ he continued.

‘But the first quality of the kid is to dribble. Why are you going to take that away?

‘For me, to be able to make you tired, I’ll take advantage of what I’ve done.

‘It’s like if you stop a boxer from jabbing. How is he going to work? If I don’t go at you five, six or seven times to stop me, how am I going to have the eighth time? You go to the eighth time and you can see he’s tired now… ninth time he doesn’t want me anymore and then it’s easy.

‘If I don’t make you run, I pass the ball all the time, it’s an easy job for you as a right-back or left-back.

‘Let him cook, let him play. We need to enjoy this type of player in these types of games.’

Henry also pointed out that modern coaches can be too cautious — and that players who dribble at pace should be encouraged.

‘I mention Michael Olise and Bukayo Saka. It doesn’t have to be scripted all the time: pass the ball, don’t lose it,’ he went on.

‘I said it to Desire Doue and I think I said it on this show, I put him on against Egypt in the semi-finals at the Olympics. I put him on because he’s good in one-vs-one, I needed someone to go and not think anymore.

‘I said, “Have a go whenever you have the ball, I don’t really care, do what you have to do”, and I think he passed the ball one time back, second time back and I told him I’d take him out if he did it again.

‘Next thing you know, yellow card, another yellow card, the right-back is sent off and we won the game.

‘What made you arrive there? Dribbling. So why are you going to speak the guy in a negative way?’