By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (August 8^th 2025)

The Estêvão Show

Teenage prodigy Estêvão Willian Almeida de Oliveira Gonçalves made an impressive début for Chelsea in their 2-0 win over former Manchester United and Ajax gaffer, Erik ten Hag’s Bayer Leverkusen this evening. While it was just a pre-season friendly Estêvão showed plenty to excite his new fans with an exhilarating first half, culminating in a deserved goal after 18 minutes – his compatriot João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus scored a late second.

Estêvão Willian impressed in the recent Club World Cup for Palmeiras, playing his last match for the Brasilian club in the quarter-final loss to eventual champions and his new club, Chelsea.

Pushed down the order by the new arrivals, Sénégal striker, Nicolas Jackson, was not even the Chelsea squad as he seeks a move to pastures new. Liam Delap had a quiet start to his Chelsea career with just 13 touches. Meanwhile, Estêvão Willian opened his account with a crisp volley from close range after 18 minutes who hit the crossbar after setting up the chance for himself – Estêvão had gone close previously.

Deserved

Despite starting their pre-season a month earlier Bayer Leverkusen looked the rustier, showing signs of missing coach Xabi Alonso who left for Real Madrid in the summer and others who have moved on too. Despite ten Hag’s wishes Granit Xhaka was allowed to go to Sunderland. Ten Hag will need time to deliver results in a notoriously impatient industry – it remains to be seen how patient Bayer Leverkusen will be and what relationship ten Hag will forge with his new charges.

Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca was backed in the transfer market and delivered the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup as well as Champions League football in his first season at Stamford Bridge. Estêvão impressed on the right flank, profiting after sterling work on the left wing by Marc Cucurella to set up Cole Palmer, whose audacious effort rebounded off the crossbar with goalkeeper Mark Flekken well beaten. Estêvão pounced to score from the rebound.

He had other good efforts and the signs of a good understanding with Palmer were clear to see. Palmer, however, was fortunate to escape injury – former Liverpool defender, Jarrell Quansah’s rash sliding tackle caught Palmer’s left leg.

Delap’s début was disappointing, but he will have other opportunities, perhaps as early as two days from now as Chelsea entertain AC Milan. Meanwhile, substitute João Pedro emphasised the win by turning and shooting to score Chelsea’s second as full time loomed large after an excellent assist on the right by Genesis Antwi – he pulled it back for João Pedro from the byline for the Brasilian to open his Stamford Bridge account..