There was a great atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge right from the start of this memorable European night which seemed to have it all. Plenty of drama, disallowed goals, a sending off and, most importantly, a big Chelsea victory.

On no less than three occasions we had the ball in the back of the net, only to be denied by the officials, with Enzo Fernandez being left disappointed twice in the first half, before substitute Andrey Santos was given the same treatment after the break.

By that interval, we had already taken the lead in strange circumstances, as Jules Kounde and Ferran Torres conspired for the former to somehow bundle Pedro Neto's flick into their own goal. When Ronald Araujo was sent off for the visitors to boot, it was firmly advantage Chelsea.

We never looked back from there, as Estevao smashed a brilliant shot into the roof of the net and then Delap made it three from Enzo Fernandez's pass, after VAR had intervened to overrule the linesman's flag on this occasion.

What a night and what a win for Chelsea!

The selection

In defence, Malo Gusto and Wesley Fofana both come into the team alongside Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella, with Robert Sanchez continuing between the posts. That meant Reece James captained the side from midfield, next to the returning Moises Caicedo. Enzo Fernandez moved into an advanced role, with Estevao Willian and Alejandro Garnacho coming in on the flanks, behind tonight's striker Pedro Neto.

High intensity, high tempo

We set out with intent, as shown when Sanchez kicked long and direct twice inside the first minute.

That approach nearly paid off when Estevao’s persistence gave us an early corner, which caused chaos in the Barcelona box. Fofana seemed to have done well to keep the danger alive following James’ delivery and square for Fernandez to sweep in from close range, but replays showed there was a ricochet off Fofana’s arm and it was ruled out.

Instead, it was Barcelona who probably should have taken the lead five minutes in. We lost possession in a dangerous position when Caicedo was unable to gather James’ pass just outside the area and Torres was presented with a great opportunity. However, the visiting fans had their heads in their hands when he rolled his shot wide with Sanchez helpless.

There was further sign we were prepared to try and exploit Barcelona’s willingness to commit numbers forward in possession, particularly using Neto’s pace to counter. James was quick to release the Portuguese forward into the channels as soon as possession was won deep in our half, and it was beginning to look like a possible route to the opening goal for Chelsea.

A larger share of the possession started to go Barcelona’s way as the first half wore on, the Spanish champions showing why few teams in the world are better at playing keep ball. There remained little to add to those early chances for each side, though, even if Sanchez had to be quick off his line to clear before Fermin Lopez could latch on to Robert Lewandowski’s lofted pass over our defence.

Denied again, but not for long

It was far from one way traffic, though, and midway through the first half we had the ball in the back of the net from a set-piece once more. This time it was an Estevao free-kick from the left which went all the way through for Fernandez to finish from close range again, but the linesman’s flag went up and VAR agreed with the officials’ decision after deciding that Chalobah was interfering with play.

Neto then fired a powerful effort over and Balde was forced to hack a dangerous cross over his own bar as the momentum swung back in Chelsea’s favour. It didn’t take long for us to make it tell this time.

From the resulting corner, it was worked well on the right with Cucurella before he delivered low into the box. Neto flicked it goalward and in the resulting chaos in the six-yard box, Kounde and Torres got in each other’s way and eventually it bounced in off the former for an own goal. It certainly wasn’t the prettiest goal Stamford Bridge has ever seen, but Barca couldn’t say it hadn’t been coming.

Chelsea on top

With our lead secured, we could afford to let the tempo drop a little bit and focus on control without the need to push for a goal, and were showing plenty of threat on the counter-attack.

Shortly before half-time we were handed an advantage in the numbers on the pitch to go along with the one on the scoreboard, thanks to a moment of madness by Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo. Having already been booked, the defender lunged in recklessly as Cucurella threatened to get in behind. Cucurella got there first, was clattered to the ground, and Araujo was given his second yellow card, promptly followed by a red and his marching orders.

It was all change on the Chelsea right as the players came back out for the second period, as Andrey Santos was introduced for Gusto, the Brazilian stepping into midfield as James reverted to right-back. He would be marking another half-time substitute, as Barcelona brought on Marcus Rashford for Torres on their left flank.

Blue deja vu

If Barca boss Hansi Flick had hoped that change would spark his 10 men into life at the start of the second half, it didn't work out that way, as if anything our control on the match increased even further.

That was evident when, for the fourth time of the night, Chelsea put the ball into the back of the Barcelona net, but still it remained just 1-0. Garnacho showed quick feet in the box before finding Santos, whose low drive squirmed out of the grasp of goalkeeper Joan Garcia and across the line. However, Garnacho had strayed offside and yet again it didn't count.

Just as had been the case in the first half, it was merely a temporary reprieve for the visitors. A couple of minutes later Estevao had returned it emphatically to the back of the net and there was no disputing this one. Santos deserves plenty of credit for stepping in perfectly to win the ball and launch the attack, but Estevao still had plenty to do when he picked up possession from James. The teenager weaved his way through defenders and into the box, before firing a rocket of a shot right-footed into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Home and dry

We never looked like relinquishing our stranglehold on the game from that point.

There was still time for the linesman to deny us another goal, or was there? Substitute Liam Delap's celebrations were instantly cut short when he slotted into the bottom corner from Fernandez's low cross, when the flag went up against the Argentinian. Thankfully, this time we were not to be denied, with VAR intervening in our favour to make it 3-0.

Barcelona looked shell-shocked and there was no way back from there for the Spanish champions. Chelsea were comprehensive winners with a real statement victory in our Champions League campaign.

What it means

This victory sees us leapfrog Barcelona in the league phase table and move up to fifth place, at least until Wednesday evening's fixtures are completed, only behind fourth-placed Borussia Dortmund on goals scored.

What is next

Chelsea return to Premier League action at the weekend for a top-of-the-table clash back here at the Bridge. We host first-placed Arsenal in a 4.30pm kick-off on Sunday 30 November.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto (Santos h-t), Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; James (c) (Acheampong 82), Caicedo; Estevao (George 82), Fernandez, Garnacho (Delap 59); Neto (Gittens 76)
Unused subs: Jorgensen, Badiashile, Hato, Tosin, Buonanotte, Joao Pedro, Guiu
Scorer: Kounde og 27, Estevao 55, Delap 72
Booked: Gusto 40, Marsca 52

Barcelona (4-3-3): J Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Araujo (c), Balde (Martin 80); Lopez (Christensen 62), E Garcia, De Jong; Yamal (Olmo 80), Lewandowski (Raphinha 62), Torres (Rashford h-t)
Unused subs: Szczesny, Kochen, Casado, Bernal, Fernandez, Bardghji
Booked: Araujo 32
Sent off: Araujo 44

Referee: Slavko Vincic