Liam Delap has hailed Chelsea’s commanding 3-0 victory over Barcelona as proof that the Blues can compete with any elite team.
Chelsea opened the scoring before the half-hour mark when Marc Cucurella’s incisive work down the flank and Pedro Neto’s flick on goal led to Jules Kounde diverting the ball into his own net.
After the interval, with Barcelona reduced to 10 men, Estevao made it 2-0 following a stunning solo run and strike.
Delap then sealed the win by tapping home Enzo Fernandez’s precise pass for the third goal of the evening.
“It was incredible,” Delap said on a win that moves the Blues to fifth in the league phase standings.
“You grow up dreaming of nights like this, so it’s a very special moment for me. We had a game plan, and everyone executed it really well. I thought it was a great performance and a great night for everyone involved.
“I believe we’re building something really good here. We’re working together every day, and we’re getting better and better. We come into every game with huge belief. Today, we showed that we can do it against anyone.”
Delap also explained that Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca’s plan was to dominate possession and take control against the Spanish giants, a strategy the squad carried out flawlessly.
“We knew how strong Barcelona are and how many good players they have, but we also knew that their high line is so high, and we knew that we needed to be defensively solid, and we could hurt them. Defensively, everyone was really solid.
“We had to pass the ball about to create that space, and I think everyone should be really proud of themselves.”
Chelsea now turn their attention to a London derby against Premier League leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
