CHELSEA hardly needed to play like world-beaters to see off lacklustre Leverkusen.
But there was plenty for the Blues to feel positive about from their first game as world champions.
Estevao’s goal and all-round first-half performance on his debut was the undoubted highlight, before Club World Cup hero Joao Pedro made it two late on.
And although boss Enzo Maresca regularly showed frustration with his team, this was a decent showing from a group of players with less than a week of training under their belt.
Maresca gave 10 outfield substitutes a run out without losing control of a game that at times had a bit more needle than he would have liked.
The way Cole Palmer linked up with Estevao will have pleased the Chelsea head coach.
The challenge which former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah put in on Palmer will have had him wincing.
Especially after losing defender Levi Colwill to ACL surgery after a knock picked up in the very first training session since the CWC victory.
Palmer was incensed, and his team-mates backed him up in a brief outbreak of handbags.
Yet it was Chelsea who looked the fresher team.
Former Bundesliga champions Leverkusen had been working together for a full pre-season under new boss Erik ten Hag.
But they felt like one of Ten Hag’s old Manchester United teams: flat and toothless up front, having lost playmaker Florian Wirtz and wing-back Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool.
Blues goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen made only a couple of routine saves and the visitors were unable to capitalise on the odd defensive error.
Otherwise it was all Chelsea.
Marc Cucurella and Estevao had shots blocked before the Brazilian started and finished the key move of the match.
After retrieving the ball near the halfway line, the right winger Cucurella, whose pass inside fell for Palmer.
The No 10s lob came back off the bar but Estevao volleyed it home.
Chelsea’s new No 9, Liam Delap, had two decent sights of goal but was denied each time by former Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Delap might have done better, particularly with the first opportunity from Cucurella’s cross.
Estevao saw a shot blocked by Piero Hincapie’s head just before the break.
Palmer went off at half time, presumably as a precaution rather than because of any lasting damage from Quansah’s foul.
Estevao took his place in the No 10 position, leaving Pedro Neto to “follow that” on the right wing.
The young Brazilian had been less impressive in the second half yet had a chance to make the night even more special.
But he pulled a good chance wide before being replaced with 15 minutes to go to a loud ovation from the crowd.
Neto forced a decent save from Flekken and Chelsea were on the verge of settling for a scoreline that did not reflect their superiority.
But Joao Pedro put some extra shine on a night lit up by his fellow Brazilian Estevao with a last-gasp second.
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