Louis Sealey
Published December 10, 2025 12:09am
Updated December 10, 2025 12:09am
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Estevao was an unused substitute for Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
Enzo Maresca has explained why Estevao Willian was an unused substitute in Chelsea’s Champions League defeat to Atalanta.
Chelsea’s hopes of automatic qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League were dealt a major blow on Tuesday as the Blues were beaten 2-1 by Atalanta.
Joao Pedro gave the Premier League side the lead midway through the first-half but the hosts scored two second-half goals to come from behind and clinch their fourth win from six European games.
While Atalanta climb to third in the Champions League group phase ahead of Wednesday’s other European fixtures, Chelsea slip to 11th.
Maresca’s side were tipped as dark horses after an impressive 3-0 win over La Liga champions Barcelona last month but Chelsea have not won any of their four games since then.
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Reflecting on Chelsea’s defeat in Italy, Maresca said: ‘I think after the first goal we conceded, we lost a little bit of control of the game.
‘In the first half, we scored the goal but also we created some chances. In the second half, I think we had two good chances to score the second one.
Enzo Maresca during Chelsea’s defeat to Atalanta (Picture: Getty)
‘And then again, after we conceded the 1-1 [goal], we lost a little bit of control of the game, and then we conceded the second one. I think both goals, we can avoid both of them, they’re quite easy goals.
‘Now that the game is finished, now the focus has to be on Saturday game, because now we need as soon as possible to win games.’
Chelsea supporters were surprised and disappointed not only to see Brazilian teenage sensation Estevao on the bench but remain there for the entity of the game.
Asked whether he was planning to bring Estevao on before he introduced Tosin Adarabioyo for the injured Wesley Fofana, Maresca said: ‘The idea, the change of Tosin, is because Wes went in to change him. So that was a bit of a force, for sure.
Atalanta celebrate beating Premier League giants Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
‘With one more change, probably there was more chance for Estevao to go inside or for Andrey [Santos] to go inside. But then with that change, it changed a little bit the plan of the game.’
Estevao has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young players in world football since his £51m summer move to Chelsea.
The 18-year-old has scored five goals for Chelsea but Maresca has been keen to manage his workload, starting him six times in the Premier League and three times in Europe.
Discussing his rotation policy more in detail, Maresca added: ‘I think tonight, first XI, we had inside the pitch eight, nine players that they play against Tottenham, they play against Barcelona, they play against Wolves, Arsenal.
Maresca is managing Estevao’s game-time (Picture: Getty)
‘We had eight, nine players that they are the ones that they are playing every time, these kind of games.
‘So if you see the five changes that we did compared to Bournemouth, it’s different.
‘But if you see that inside the pitch, we had eight, nine players that they are the same, Barcelona, Arsenal, Tottenham, Wolves, you know, these kind of games.
‘But the ones that they play tonight are the ones that they are playing almost all the games.’
Chelsea have failed to win any of their last four games (Picture: Getty)
Following their second Champions League defeat of the season, Maresca believes Chelsea will need to win their final two group games to qualify automatically for the knockout stages and avoid play-off matches.
Chelsea face Greek side Pafos next before finishing their Champions League group campaign at Serie A champions Napoli.
‘Yes, probably with two wins, probably with 16 points, you can be in the top eight,’ Maresca said. ‘Not sure about that, but now the focus has to be that first game.
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‘And then the next one, for sure. If we want to try to finish top eight, we need to win both. Otherwise, we try to play the play-off and then go to the next round.’
Chelsea will put their Champions League aspirations on hold this weekend and look to get back to winning ways in the Premier League against Everton.
The Blues welcome Everton to Stamford Bridge sitting fifth in the table, eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
Everton have won four of their last five games to climb to seventh in the Premier League, just two places and one point behind Chelsea.
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