Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez, took a verbal swipe at Barcelona's young winger Lamine Yamal following a commanding 3-0 victory for the Blues in the UEFA Champions League. The crucial Group Stage match took place at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, November 25, 2025.
Dominant Blues Outclass Spanish Giants
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side delivered a stunning performance against the visiting Spanish giants. The match's momentum shifted decisively in the 27th minute when Barcelona defender Jules Kounde scored an unfortunate own goal, putting Chelsea in the lead. The situation worsened for Barcelona just before halftime when their captain, Ronald Araujo, received a red card in the 44th minute, forcing his team to play with ten men for the entire second half.
The numerical advantage allowed Chelsea to control the game, and Brazilian sensation Estevao extended the lead in the 55th minute with a spectacular solo effort and cool finish. This goal notably stole the spotlight from the highly-touted Barcelona teenager, Lamine Yamal, who struggled to make an impact. The scoring was sealed in the 73rd minute by substitute Liam Delap, who ended an 11-game goal drought with his first of the season, securing the emphatic 3-0 win.
Sanchez Lauds Cucurella's Defensive Masterclass
Following the match, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez did not hold back in his assessment of the game, specifically praising his teammate's handling of the young Barcelona star. In a post that quickly went viral on social media platform X, the 28-year-old shot-stopper claimed that defender Marc Cucurella had Lamine Yamal 'in his pocket' throughout the encounter.
"He (Marc Cucurella) had him (Lamine Yamal) in his pocket," Sanchez stated confidently. He acknowledged that the red card gave Chelsea an advantage but insisted that his team was dominant from start to finish. "We dominated the game from the first minute. We scored a lot of goals, and three of them were offside. I am happy with the victory," he added. When questioned if Barcelona should still be considered favourites for the Champions League title, Sanchez delivered a blunt rebuttal: "Favorites? Barcelona? No, we're the favourites."
Fans React to Sanchez's Bold Comments
The goalkeeper's remarks sparked a flurry of reactions from football fans across social media, with many acknowledging Cucurella's defensive performance.
@MarcusBurelius commented on the defender's effectiveness, writing: "Cucurella just put Lamine Yamal in his pocket for 90 minutes. Zero shots, 28 touches, completely invisible. Chelsea defense is cooking in Europe right now and Sanchez is telling the truth."
Another user, @TrifectaBanter, used vivid imagery: "Cucurella didn’t just pocket Yamal… He folded him and zip-locked him."
A more analytical take came from @OddsDanny, who noted: "Cucurella's body positioning forced Yamal onto his weaker foot all night - 64 touches, lowest of his season. That aggressive stance in the channel choked Barcelona's main outlet before it could breathe."
However, not all reactions were celebratory. User Bry10181 posed a hypothetical: "Lmao. Imagine a Barca player saying this after match?" while @Hollumuyiwa1 expressed surprise, suggesting that Sanchez's uncharacteristic trash talk indicated something may have happened off the pitch.
The resounding victory and the subsequent comments from the Chelsea camp signal a confident team that believes it can compete with and dominate Europe's elite, marking a significant statement in their 2025/26 Champions League campaign.
