Chelsea enjoyed a convincing 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League on Tuesday night in front of an electric Stamford Bridge crowd.
The Blues had already had two goals chalked off prior to taking the lead when Marc Cucurella’s cross was deflected in by Jules Kounde. Things got worse for Hansi Flick's side when defender Ronald Araujo was dismissed for a second bookable offence just before half-time.
From then it was about how much damage Chelsea could inflict on their visitors. Brazilian forward Estevao scored his best goal in a Chelsea shirt yet following excellent footwork in the box.
“I don’t have any words to sum up how I’m feeling. It really was a perfect night. Onwards and upwards from here,” the 18-year-old said after the game.
“It was all very quick. I found some space, wiggled my way through, and scored that goal. It was such a special moment for me in my career.”
Liam Delap then put the match out of reach with a well-directed effort beyond the reach of Joan Garcia.
“It was a complicated match before we got the red card with 11 players. We tried to give everything to fight for the match, but the truth is they have great quality, and they knew how to find the spaces,” the Barcelona goalkeeper said during his post-match interview.
The win moved Chelsea up to fourth in theUefa Champions League table, while Barcelona dropped to 15th.
Chelsea player ratings
Robert Sanchez - 7/10: Chelsea’s goalkeeper was aggressive and was prepared to take players out to win the ball. Saved against Raphinha in the second half to maintain the three-goal lead.
Marc Cucurella - 8/10: An energetic presence on the left-flank and fared impressively against Lamine Yamal. He was involved in Chelsea’s opener after his cross was eventually directed in by Jules Kounde.
Trevoh Chalobah -7/10: Positioned well to block off passing lanes while using his pace to track runners. Penalised for being in an offside position when Chelsea had the ball in the net before they took the lead.
Wesley Fofana - 6/10: Didn’t draw much attention, which is always a good thing for a centre-back.
Malo Gusto - 6/10: Worked hard to maintain Chelsea’s press but was replaced by Andrey Santos at the break after being on the end of some heavy challenges.
Moises Caicedo - 7/10: Restricted space in midfield for Lamine Yamal to run into and linked well with Alejandro Garnacho.
Reece James - 6/10: Some careless play in midfield saw a pass picked off before a huge chance for Ferran Torres was missed. Moved to right-back in the second half and had plenty of the ball.
Alejandro Garnacho - 6/10: Always positive with his work down the left-flank but was unable to produce overall. Replaced by Liam Delap just before the hour mark.
Enzo Fernandez - 8/10: The Argentina international was frequently involved in Chelsea’s best pieces of attacking play and had the ball in the net on two occasions, both ruled out. He then set-up Liam Delap for the Blues’ third goal.
Estevao - 8/10: What a goal by Chelsea’s Brazilian star. After looking bright throughout the first half, Estevao produced a moment of magic as he majestically beat Pau Cubarsi before striking with conviction past Joan Garcia.
Pedro Neto - 7/10: His pace was a consistent problem for Barcelona, as the Portugal international was energetic and forced defenders out of position.
Substitutes
Andrey Santos (Gusto, 45’) - 7/10: Worked impressively alongside Moises Caicedo to help control the game for the Blues. Almost scored immediately after coming on, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Liam Delap (Garnacho, 59’) - 7/10: Occupied defenders with his presence inside the box and put the game out of reach with a pinpoint finish placed perfectly into the side of the goal.
Jamie Gittens (Neto, 75’) - N/A: Maintained pressure on Barcelona’s back line.
Josh Acheampong (James, 82’) - N/A: Enjoyed passing the ball around as Chelsea played out the rest of the game.
Tyrique George (Estevao, 82’) - N/A: Not involved much when introduced with Chelsea keeping the ball in defence and midfield as the fans chanted “Ole” to every pass.
Barcelona player ratings
Joan Garcia -3/10: Unconvincing overall having picked the ball out of his net on several occasions, and he was lucky that Chelsea were offside after he spilled an effort from Andrey Santos into his goal. Made a save against Pedro Neto.
Alejandro Balde - 4/10: The left-back got a vital touch to a cross that was headed for Estevao in the first half and won multiple duels, but it was during a key part of the game when Estevao found space away from him before scoring. He then played Enzo Fernandez onside for Chelsea’s third goal.
Pau Cubarsi - 4/10: A moment to forget against Estevao before Chelsea’s second goal. Lost another key duel against Pedro Neto but was saved by Joan Garcia.
Ronald Araujo - 2/10: A fifth career red card for the Uruguayan. Barcelona’s captain was dismissed in the 44th minute for a careless challenge. That moment effectively ended any Barca hopes.
Jules Kounde - 4/10: A mix-up with Fermin Lopez saw him block the ball back into his own goal for Chelsea's opener. Didn’t provide enough when going forward.
Frenkie De Jong - 5/10: Tried to get things under control for Barcelona in the second half but struggled with his team down to 10 players, which saw his passing become less accurate under heavy pressure from an aggressive Chelsea side.
Eric Garcia - 5/10: Kept things simple in midfield to allow more creative players to take risks. Moved back into defence after the hour mark.
Ferran Torres - 4/10: The story of the match could have been much different had Ferran Torres converted his big chance for Barcelona in the first half. That turned out to be his only big moment before he was replaced at half-time by Marcus Rashford.
Fermin Lopez - 4/10: Good early movement saw him get beyond Chelsea’s defensive line but he couldn’t get the right contact on Lewandowski’s pass. Quiet after that before being involved in the mix-up that saw Barcelona go 1-0 down.
Lamine Yamal - 4/10: The Barcelona star had some bright moments in the first half when cutting in on his favoured left-foot, but struggled to get the better of Spain compatriot Marc Cucurella down the line.
Robert Lewandowski -5/10: Dropped deep to hold up the ball against Chelsea’s aggressive press and looked to bring his teammates into play. Produced a fine ball that found Fermin Lopez in the first half which led to a chance. Anonymous after the restart when Barcelona went down to 10 men.
Substitutes
Marcus Rashford (Torres, 45’) -5/10 Not much time for him to run in behind due to Chelsea’s press, and when he did eventually get space on the right flank he was shut down by several blue shirts with Trevoh Chalobah making the challenge.
Raphinha (Lewandowski, 62’) - 5/10: Introduced for Lewandowski after the hour mark. Forced a save from Robert Sanchez with a placed effort towards the far corner.
Andreas Christensen (Fermin Lopez, 62’) - 5/10: Came on to help shore up the defence, but it was just 11 minutes before Chelsea scored their third of the evening.
Dani Olmo (Yamal, 80’) - N/R: An unenjoyable evening as he chased the ball while Chelsea defenders passed the ball around the back.
Gerard Martin (Balde, 80’) - N/R: Introduced for Alejandro Balde in the 80th minute.
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
RESULTS
Time; race; prize; distance
4pm: Maiden; (D) Dh150,000; 1,200m
Winner: General Line, Xavier Ziani (jockey), Omar Daraj (trainer)
4.35pm: Maiden (T); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Travis County, Adrie de Vries, Ismail Mohammed
5.10pm: Handicap (D); Dh175,000; 1,200m
Winner: Scrutineer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
5.45pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Maiden (D); Dh150,000; 1,600m
Winner: Ejaaby, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
6.55pm: Handicap (D); Dh160,000; 1,600m
Winner: Storyboard, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (D); Dh150,000; 2,200m
Winner: Grand Dauphin, Gerald Mosse, Ahmed Al Shemaili
8.05pm: Handicap (T); Dh190,000; 1,800m
Winner: Good Trip, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
The Porpoise
By Mark Haddon
(Penguin Random House)
Scores
Day 2
New Zealand 153 & 56-1
Pakistan 227
New Zealand trail by 18 runs with nine wickets remaining
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
more from Janine di Giovanni
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016
5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017
7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
'The Predator'
Dir: Shane Black
Starring: Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key
Two and a half stars
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
Scorecard:
England 458 & 119/1 (51.0 ov)
South Africa 361
England lead by 216 runs with 9 wickets remaining
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
