FOOTBALL – Chelsea claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory over 10-man Barcelona in the Champions League last night thanks to an own goal, a slice of individual skill from teenager Estevao and a first strike of the season for Liam Delap.
Chelsea heaped pressure on the Spanish champions from the kick off and went ahead in the 27th minute when Barca defender Jules Kounde bundled the ball into his own net.
The visitors had to play the second half with 10 men after captain Ronald Araujo was sent off for a rash tackle which earned a second booking in the 44th minute.
Chelsea took advantage and 10 minutes after the break 18-year-old Estevao rode two tackles as he jinked into the area and sent a bullet shot into the top corner from a tight angle.
Delap compounded Barcelona’s misery with a 73rd minute goal, leaving Chelsea in provisional fifth place and the Catalans 15th with a battle to reach the automatic qualification places.
Meanwhile, Manchester City suffered a rare Champions League loss at the Etihad Stadium as Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen claimed a 2-0 victory to end City’s 23-game unbeaten home run in the competition’s group or league stage.
The loss spoiled Pep Guardiola’s 100th Champions League match as City manager, and left the Premier League side provisionally sixth in the table on 10 points after five games. Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick scored for Leverkusen, who are 13th.
Newcastle United’s three-match winning streak was halted as they lost 2-1 at Olympique de Marseille after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice for the home side.
Harvey Barnes gave the visitors a dream start in the Stade Velodrome when he broke the deadlock from close range after five minutes with his fourth goal in the last three matches in all competitions.
Juventus substitute Jonathan David struck a stoppage-time goal to give his side a 3-2 win over Norway’s Bodo/Glimt inside the Arctic Circle as the Italians grabbed their first victory in this season’s competition.
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