‘He will be a top player’ – Enzo Maresca tells Chelsea wonderkid Estevao how to match Barcelona ace Lamine Yamal

“Estevao is already playing at a high level and is starting games for Brazil,” Maresca told reporters ahead of the Barcelona clash. “He is very young and for sure can do many things better, but we are very happy with him. It’s nice for people who love football to watch players like Estevao, Lamine Yamal, Pedri. We are happy that Estevao is with us.”

“Estevao is going to be an important player for this club in the future, no doubt. The most important thing for Estevao now is that he has to enjoy his football, he has to be happy, and not think about being better than this player or that player.” Maresca stressed the need to avoid external pressure. “He just has to be better than himself day by day, work hard and improve, and for sure he will be a top player for this club.”

The Chelsea manager also warned that comparisons to Yamal are unfair and premature given their different trajectories. Yamal’s 31 goals and 42 assists in 118 Barcelona appearances place him in a more advanced career phase, while Estevao is only months into his European journey. Maresca finished by reiterating that enjoyment, learning and steady improvement remain the keys to Estevao’s development.