Chelsea set Champions League record as Estevao-inspired young Blues prove their worth in thrashing of Ajax

The breakthrough came courtesy of Guiu, just 19 years and 291 days old, who showed composure beyond his age to give Chelsea the lead. For a fleeting moment, he became the club’s youngest-ever Champions League scorer, but the chaos that followed made sure his record didn’t last long. If the first act belonged to Guiu, the second was stolen by Estevao, the Brazilian wonderkid, who is already being touted as the next global superstar. At just 18 years and 181 days, he coolly dispatched a penalty to steal the record. It was the third penalty of the night after Enzo Fernandez and Wout Weghorst converted the earlier spot-kicks.

As if that wasn’t enough history for one night, Enzo Maresca turned to his bench and introduced Tyrique George, another academy jewel. Within three minutes of coming on, the 19-year-old joined the teenage goal parade with a composed finish from the edge of the box, sealing Chelsea’s fifth of the evening and putting the record beyond doubt. With that strike, Chelsea became the first team ever in the competition to have three different teenagers on the scoresheet in the same match.

The head coach didn’t stop there. Late in the second half, he handed a European debut to Reggie Walsh, who, at just 17, became the youngest player in Chelsea’s Champions League history and the second youngest Englishman to ever play in the competition after Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere. By the 65th minute, Maresca had used all five substitutions, giving rest to the likes of Caicedo, Fernandez, and Tosin Adarabioyo with the result well beyond doubt. In total, ten Chelsea players aged 21 or younger featured in the match, a staggering testament to the club’s youth-driven strategy. With an average starting age of just 22 years and 163 days, Chelsea’s lineup was the second youngest English side ever to start an elite European game. Only Arsenal’s starting XI against Olympiakos 16 years ago was younger than the one used on Wednesday evening. 

The strategy, masterminded by owners BlueCo and embraced by Maresca, is to build a dynasty that grows together. Players like Jorrel Hato, Romeo Lavia, Josh Acheampong, and Jamie Gittens are all part of this exciting new wave of footballers being moulded at Cobham under the guidance of their Italian manager. 

"It's the strategy of the club," said Maresca. "We have so many young players. I think already last season we were the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League, so this season we continue in the same way. I work with them every day, I know what they can do. I know also that we're going to have moments where we struggle a little bit more, for sure. But I think the good thing about them is that they want to learn, they want to improve and I think it's good."

Despite all the goals and records, Maresca reserved special praise for the star of the night, Estevao.

"The odd thing about Estevao is with young players you're worried they have one good game and think they're top," he said. "Estevao is polite, he's humble, he wants to learn. His family make a big job there. We're happy not only way with way he performs but he's a nice boy, a good boy."

The Chelsea boss even drew parallels between Estevao and Cole Palmer, who missed the game due to injury but remains one of Maresca’s key men.

"It's very similar to Cole Palmer," he said. "I had him same age with City's Under-23s. Cole played wide and now he's inside. Now Estevao plays wide, but in the future I think he's more of an inside player.

"I feel very lucky to be his manager because it's exciting, you can enjoy. We said many times, I think the fans at the end, they paid the tickets to see players like Cole [Palmer], like Estevao, this kind of player. So it's nice that we can have players like Estevao, like Cole, like them."

This 5-1 demolition wasn’t just about three points, but it was about sending a message to Europe that Chelsea’s youth revolution is in full swing. With back-to-back Champions League wins following their opening defeat to Bayern Munich, belief is building that something special is taking shape under Maresca. The next test comes with a trip to Qarabag in Azerbaijan, while domestically, Chelsea welcome Sunderland to West London this weekend in the Premier League.