Chelsea returned to winning ways on Tuesday night with an important victory at home to Benfica. Afterwards, Blues defender Benoit Badiashile delivered very high praise on one teammate.
The Blues wrapped up a tricky September with a 1-0 win against Portuguese giants in the group phase of the Champions League.
Of course, Jose Mourinho’s return to Stamford Bridge in the away dugout was one of the major talking points from midweek. Benfica manager Mourinho blew a kiss to Chelsea’s home supporters while they sung his name in the early stages of the European tie.
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Benoit Badiashile hails magical Estevao Willian
Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile, 24, impressed against Benfica during his first start of the season.
However, during a post-match interview, he shone a light on exciting teammate Estevao Willian.
Badiashile said via HaytersTV: “Estevao is a magic player. He will [make] a big difference for us during the next few years, and we’re really happy to have him with us.
When asked if Estevao is just as good in training, Badiashile added: “Yeah, he’s good. He’s really good.”
Even though Estevao didn’t start the Benfica fixture, he made a memorable impact off the bench as a substitute. There is an injection of excitement in the air whenever the 18-year-old attacking talent gets the ball at his feet.
The Brazilian youngster, who can play as a right-winger or number 10, looks at home in the Chelsea first team. He now just needs some more end product to match the quite clear ability and potential, but he’s got plenty of time to develop.
Blues head coach Enzo Maresca has praised Estevao for his start at Chelsea, where he’s shown in snippets why he’s regarded as one of the most exciting teenagers in the sport.
The exciting Estevao Willian cameo vs Benfica
Chelsea’s narrow win against Benfica lacked a spark for large spells, but Estevao certainly added something in the second half with his energy and positivity.
The Brazil international had a few daring dribbles in possession to excite the crowd.
| Minutes played | Total shots | Chances created | Accurate passes | Successful dribbles | Recoveries | Match rating |
| 36 | 1 | 0 | 9/12 (75%) | 3/3 (100%) | 4 | 6.4 |
Reece James has been helping Estevao and he’ll need the advice from the senior players in the dressing room to become a star for Maresca’s side this season. We’ve got no doubt about his individual talent, though.
It would be great to see the South American teenager recalled to the starting XI this weekend, where it would be a huge test coming up against Premier League leaders Liverpool.
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