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(Credit: Hasan Karim - Breaking Media, Ronaldo Barreto)
Edward Bazeley
Fri 8 August 2025 21:21, UK
Chelsea defeated Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 thanks to goals from Estevao and Joao Pedro in a pre-season friendly on Friday.
Enzo Maresca’s men established an early lead thanks to Estevao’s goal, as the Brazil international tapped home on the rebound after England star Cole Palmer‘s effort hit the crossbar.
The West Londoners dominated against a Leverkusen side who lacked intensity on 8 August, but could not double their lead until Joao Pedro’s last minute strike.
Pedro successfully continued the rich vein of form he showed in the Club World Cup once he replaced fellow summer signing Liam Delap.
Pedro scored at Stamford Bridge (Credit: Imago)
Filip Jorgensen – 6
Bayer Leverkusen gave Filip Jorgensen little to deal with, but the Chelsea goalkeeper deserves credit for maintaining his concentration through a dominant display.
Malo Gusto – 7
The right-back put on a solid display both in and out of possession against Bayer Leverkusen, but will have to work hard to retain his starting spot over Reece James once the competitive games come around.
Josh Acheampong – 7
The 19-year-old endured a lack of game time last term, but this solid performance has given Maresca plenty of food for thought.
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Trevoh Chalobah – 5
On a night when Chelsea were otherwise defensively strong against a poor Leverkusen outfit, Trevoh Chalobah was not at his best.
His early yellow card showed that he was off the pace.
Marc Cucurella – 7
The West Londoners enjoyed the lions’ share of possession in the first half, which was largely down to Marc Cucurella augmenting the midfield.
Moises Caicedo – 5
On a night where Maresca’s side dictated the play, Moises Caicedo could not stamp his usual authority on proceedings.
Andrey Santos – 6
The former Strasbourg man worked hard in the middle of the park, but did not display the creativity his previous exploits in France prove he boasts.
Estevao – 9
A dazzling display from the winger whose direct play had the Stamford Bridge faithful on the edge of their seats.
Liam Delap – 4
After impressing in the Club World Cup, Liam Delap failed to show his clinical instincts against Leverkusen, squandering two major chances to score.
Delap struggled against Leverkusen (Credit Hasan Karin, Breaking Media)
Jorrel Hato – 5 (for Cucurella, 46)
A decent, but unspectacular display from the former Ajax man who lacked the class shown by Cucurella on his Chelsea debut.
Tosin Adarabioyo – 6 (for Chalobah, 46)
Tosin Adarabioyo wasn’t threatened by the Bayer Leverkusen attack, and looked more convincing than Chalobah.
Dario Essugo – 7 (for Caicedo, 46)
A dynamic midfield display from the 20-year-old, who was calm in possession.
Pedro Neto – 5 (for Palmer, 46)
Pedro Neto lacked attacking prowess on a night when fellow wideman Estevao stole the show, and could not link with the teenager as effectively as Palmer did.
Jamie Gittens – 6 (for George, 64)
Jamie Gittens showed glimpses of what he can do, but may need to do more to nail down a regular starting spot in the Premier League.
Joao Pedro – 8 (for Delap, 64)
Unlike Delap, Pedro had his shooting boots firmly on against Leverkusen, and found himself on the scoresheet from just two shots.
Reece James – 6 (for Gusto, 65)
Reece James largely continued from where Gusto had left off, but had less time to influence the match.
However, he did not have enough time to prove his worth.
Genesis Antwi- 5 (for Estevao, 77)
Similarly to Rak-Sakyi, Genesis Antwi’s Chelsea career is in its infancy, and he was not given much game time against Leverkusen.
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