Chelsea carried on their momentum after the international break with a Champions League win against Ajax. The Blues secured a commanding 5-1 victory over the visitors at Stamford Bridge. It can be said that it was a day of the club's youngsters, as they not only won the match but also bagged a milestone for the club.
Ajax couldn't really do much throughout the game, especially after they were reduced to ten men with Kenneth Taylor sent off. They only got a chance with a penalty, which they converted, but it didn't help much. Chelsea, on the other hand, had their goals scored by five different players.
Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo opened the scoring with two fantastic goals, followed by two back-to-back penalties from Enzo Fernandes and Estevao. Later, in the second half, Tyrique George came off the bench to score a fifth. In the process, Chelsea became the first team in UEFA Champions League history to have three different teenagers score in the same match.
Although the youngsters stole the spotlight, club legends Joe Cole and Eidur Gudjohnsen, who were covering the game as pundits on TNT Sports, were full of praise for one who is playing like a veteran at 23 years of age. And the player is none other than Caicedo. Chelsea spent a then-British record sum of £115m to sign him in 2023, after his outstanding performance at Brighton & Hove Albion.
"Potential to be the best" - Chelsea legends hail one player
Although it took him some time to get used to life at Stamford Bridge, Caicedo has since solidified his place as one of the best midfielders in English football. He has quietly emerged as a key component of the team. He has also acquired a scoring touch, with four goals surpassing his total at the club over the past two seasons combined.
Cole said on Caicedo :
"This club has been blessed with players in that position, you think of Makelele and Kante.
They know when they see a good midfielder and these fans love Caicedo. There were question marks over him – £100m was a lot of money to spend – but he’s worth every penny."
"I would say he’s not only one of the best players in the Premier League – I would go further than that – he has the potential to be the best midfielder in recent years."
We couldn't agree more with Cole and Gudjohnsen. Caicedo has proven his worth. Once doubted, he is now being compared to club and footballing legends like N'Golo Kante and Claude Makelele. He is, without a doubt, one of the top midfielders in the world right now, and he continues to demonstrate that game after game.