Chelsea took on German side Bayer Leverkusen in their penultimate pre-season friendly on Friday night and one of Enzo Maresca’s summer signings certainly caught the eye of Stamford Bridge
Chelsea fans have hailed “genuine superstar” Estevao Willian after the wonderkid’s dream start to life at Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian officially completed his move to West London earlier this summer over a year after striking a £29million deal with Palmeiras.
And while 18-year-old has had to bide his time, the wait was certainly worth it. Estevao was named in the starting line-up on Friday evening as Enzo Maresca ’s side took on German side Bayer Leverkusen in their penultimate pre-season clash of the summer.
He found himself on the scoresheet just 20 minutes into the game. Cole Palmer had initially gone close but struck the crossbar.
The ball fell to Estevao at the far post and he had a simple task in tapping home. He wheeled off in celebration, kissing the Chelsea badge in the process.
Estevao stayed on the pitch until the 77th minute of the tie before he was replaced by Genesis Antwi. Chelsea fans took to social media to laud the youngster and his performance.
READ MORE: Transfer news: Sesko undergoes Man Utd medical, Chelsea star asks to leave, Isak and Eze latestREAD MORE: Nicolas Jackson tells Chelsea he wants to leave following transfer statement
One fan said: “Estevao, remember the name,” while another added: “Estevao is a delight to watch.” Another supporter wrote: “That’s a solid 75 minutes for Estevao. Incredible talent he is!”
A number of Chelsea fans have now backed Estevao for a bright future after watching his debut outing. A further Blues fan said: “Estevao is a year younger than Tyrique George and Estevao looks miles more experienced and poised than him man. We have a genuine superstar on our hands man.”
A final supporter added: “Chelsea have a team! Gittens and Estêvão are just something else, pure pace, skill, and excitement. The future looks bright at Stamford Bridge!”
How will Chelsea do in the Premier League this season? Share your predictions in the comments below
Chelsea eventually overcame Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge 2-0 – Estevao’s Brazilian compatriot Joao Pedro netting in the 90th minute to secure victory. Chelsea’s next assignment pits them against AC Milan on Sunday ahead of their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca has vowed not to put too much expectation on his young star ahead of his debut campaign. He said: “I met him for the first time in the USA when we played against Palmeiras. He’s a fantastic player. He’s very young, is a happy boy, and is always laughing. Typical for a Brazilian guy. We want to keep him happy.
“With him, we need to pay a little bit more attention [than other signings] because, first of all, he’s from another part of the world, and also he’s very young. So we need to pay attention, not put him under pressure, give him happiness, give him time.
“He needs to adapt, and hopefully we can give him minutes to make him even happier. But for sure, he’s a talented player.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
£43
£35
Sky
Get the deal here
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.