An early disallowed Chelsea goal for handball added to what was already an intense atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, and only Barça’s unmarked Ferran Torres will know how he missed the target from 10 yards out just a few minutes later.
As the game began to open up, the Blues appeared more purposeful, but the visitors threatened on the break, with Lamine Yamal at the hub of proceedings. At the midway point of the first half, Estévão’s whipped free-kick was headed home by Enzo Fernández, but that too was ruled out, this time for offside.
It wouldn’t be long before Chelsea did score, however. Marc Cucurella’s low cross caused all sorts of problems, and when Torres and Jules Koundé both failed to sort their feet out, the ball bobbled over the line off the latter’s boot. Barça huffed and puffed for the remainder of the half, but due in no small part to Moisés Caicedo’s defensive excellence in midfield, Chelsea kept them at bay with relative ease.
And as HT approached, Ronald Araújo’s wild challenge on Cucurella earned him a second yellow card and subsequent red, ensuring an uphill battle in the second half for the Catalans.
Within five minutes of the restart, Andrey Santos thought he’d added Chelsea’s second goal, though that too was ruled out, as Alejandro Garnacho had strayed offside earlier in the move.
By now the hosts were dictating play though, and Estévão’s sensational run and finish for the Blues’ second was no more than they deserved. In reaction to that, Marcus Rashford and Raphinha came onto the field, but did little to alter the patterns of play in Barcelona’s favour.
By contrast, Chelsea’s own substitute, Liam Delap, ended the match as a contest with a coolly-taken maiden strike in the UCL. Taking full advantage of the opportunity given to him, he fired in at the far post after receiving a square ball from Fernández, which came via a breakaway that saw the Argentina international beat a rigid Barcelona’s attempted offside trap by mere centimetres.
Now losers just once in their last 10 H2Hs against Barcelona (W3, D6), Chelsea will see this as a major test passed with flying colours. The result also means Chelsea have extended their unbeaten run to six games overall, while leaving Barcelona potentially looking at a Champions League play-off position in order to make the knockout rounds.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Estévão (Chelsea)