Kann Chelsea in dieser Saison um große Titel kämpfen? Reaktionen und Analysen
Alan Hansen infamously said “you can’t win anything with kids”, but that was 30 years ago and Enzo Maresca clearly doesn’t share that sentiment.
The Chelsea side picked by Maresca last night had an average age of only 22, the second youngest by an English side in Champions League history.
His bold selection was vindicated in a 5-1 win against Ajax, with Marc Guiu, Estevao and Tyrique George all on target – the first time in the competition’s history three teenagers have scored for one team in a single game.
It’s only fair to point out that while substitute George is a Chelsea academy graduate, none of the starting line-up came through the ranks at Cobham.
Most of their top young talents have been recruited from elsewhere, often at significant cost and with the promise of pathway to first-team football.
Nonetheless, it is a model which appears to be working for the Blues, who finished fourth in the Premier League in May despite the average age of their starting line-up being just 24 years and 36 days – the youngest across an entire season in the competition’s history.
Chelsea’s teenage sensations
Chelsea’s 5-1 win against Ajax was a display of the amount of talent they have at their disposal.
Marc Guiubecame the club’s youngest ever Champions League goalscorer with the opener against the Dutch side at Stamford Bridge.
But that record lasted only 33 minutes asEstevao Willian broke it with a penalty.
Then Tyrique George, who is a month younger than Guiu, scored to become the second-youngest Champions League scorer for the Blues.
Midfielder Reggie Walsh, who only turned 17 this week, was also given minutes by Enzo Maresca against the 10-man Ajax.
Josh Acheampong, who scored against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, and Jorrel Hato, both 19, also featured while 16-year-old Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and goalkeeper Max Merrick, 19, were among the substitutes.
In total, 10 players aged 21 or younger featured for Chelsea in the non-contest in west London.
Romeo Lavia, Jamie Gittens and Facundo Buonanotte, all aged 21 or younger, were also involved for Chelsea, who have not used a player over 30 since the beginning of last season.
Their squad will be further boosted by the arrival of 18-year-old Portuguese winger Geovany Quenda next summer with Chelsea having already agreed a £40m deal with Sporting for the highly-rated teenager.
