According to a report by GOAL on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Carlo Ancelotti has questioned Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso's handling of Estevao, insisting that the Brazilian teenager requires regular playing time to support his development.

The former Chelsea manager believes the youngster's progress should remain a priority despite his limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge this season.

Alonso has experienced an inconsistent start to his Chelsea tenure, with the Blues recording five wins and four defeats in their opening 10 Premier League matches. Injuries have also made it difficult for him to establish stability within the squad.

However, his decision to frequently leave Estevao out of the starting line-up has attracted criticism from supporters.

The 19-year-old started Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Manchester United but was dropped to the bench for Sunday's meeting with Sunderland.

Ancelotti, who included Estevao in his latest Brazil squad for matches against Japan and Singapore, acknowledged that the youngster would benefit from more playing time at club level.

“It would be better if they were getting minutes, not so much because of their current form, but for their development. But we can say they’re arriving fresh, rested. They can put in a good performance for us.”

When asked specifically about Estevao, the former Real Madrid manager stressed that Brazil would continue to monitor the teenager's progress regardless of his situation at Chelsea.

“What we expect from Estevao is for him to show the qualities he has. We’ll keep following him. Even if he doesn’t play a single minute at Chelsea, we’ll keep following.

“Until we decide he’s no longer useful to the national team. As long as we think he’s useful, we’ll follow him and giving him opportunities to develop as a 19-year-old. We have different objectives to Chelsea.”

Estevao has made 10 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea this season, including just one start in the Premier League, accumulating slightly more than 300 minutes on the pitch.

By comparison, he has played 172 minutes across three appearances for Brazil, highlighting the difference between his involvement at club and international level.

If he features for another 133 minutes against Japan and Singapore, his total international playing time across five matches would surpass the minutes he has accumulated in up to 13 appearances for Chelsea.