Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez took a playful jab at his Spanish international teammate Lamine Yamal following a commanding 3-0 victory for Chelsea over Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Dominant Display at the Bridge
Under the guidance of manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea delivered an impressive performance at a buzzing Stamford Bridge. The scoring was opened by an unfortunate own goal from Barcelona's Jules Kounde, followed by a moment of individual brilliance from young star Estevao. The victory was sealed by a close-range finish from Liam Delap, putting the result beyond doubt.
Barcelona's task was made significantly harder when defender Ronald Araujo was shown a red card shortly before the half-time whistle. The Catalan giants struggled to handle Chelsea's physical approach throughout the match, with their key player, Lamine Yamal, being notably subdued on the right flank.
Cucurella's Defensive Masterclass
The ineffectiveness of Barcelona's talisman was largely credited to the outstanding defensive work of Chelsea's Marc Cucurella. The left-back, who also plays alongside Yamal for the Spanish national team, hassled and closed down his compatriot at every opportunity, effectively neutralising one of Barca's most potent attacking threats.
When questioned by Spanish media about Cucurella's performance against the young winger, Sanchez did not hold back. 'He had him in his pocket,' Sanchez stated bluntly. The Chelsea goalkeeper followed this with an apparent message directed at Yamal, adding, 'Everyone is great until they come to the Premier League.'
Chelsea Rising to the Occasion
Sanchez went on to praise his team's character, suggesting this result is further proof of Chelsea's ability to perform against elite opposition. 'The red card gave us a slight advantage, but we dominated the game from the first minute,' he asserted.
He also expressed his delight with the team's offensive output, noting, 'We scored a lot of goals, three of them offside, and I'm very happy with the victory.' Sanchez emphasised the squad's self-belief and big-game mentality, stating, 'I know the quality we have... In matches against top opponents, we always rise to the occasion. We're a team that always rises to the occasion in big moments, and we've done it once again.'
When a journalist inquired if Barcelona were the favourites to win the Champions League, Sanchez laughed and confidently replied, 'We're the favourites.'
The crucial win elevates Chelsea to fifth in the Champions League table, having now accumulated 10 points from their opening five matches in the competition.
