Chelsea beat Cardiff City 3-1 to advance to the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with the Blues hoping to win another trophy under Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea were slugging it out against the English League One side but ultimately prevailed thanks to a brace from Alejandro Garnacho and a goal from Pedro Neto.
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Despite the victory, the absence of youngster Estevo Willian confused Chelsea fans who had hoped to see the exciting teenager shine.
Unfortunately, he missed the game due to a muscle problem and will miss Chelsea’s game against Newcastle United this weekend.
Maresca said (via Football London ): “He has a small problem, a muscle problem. He won’t be able to play in the Newcastle game and we’ll see what happens in the next game.”
‘Exciting’ Estevo is a huge bummer for Chelsea, with Maresca turning to Tyrique George on the right wing in his absence.
The Cobham Academy graduate failed to make an impact and was charmed by Neto, who scored an important goal.
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Neto is likely to retain his starting spot this weekend, but the Blues must be desperate for the young Brazilian to join the squad, even as a substitute.
Esteeva has the ability to get fans out of their seats and the end product to match, making him one of the most exciting talents in football.
Maresca has been criticized for managing minutes. The Italian tactician is cautious about his development, but fans are impatient to see their gem in action.
In fact, finding the right moment to give Estevao a chance to shine is key. Throwing him into the deep end and hoping he can swim doesn’t help.
There are still areas of his game that need fine-tuning, and Maresca is best suited to help him grow.
