The last time Chelsea travelled to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in the Champions League in 2012, they left with a 3-1 defeat. This time, an in-form Blues side travels there again, only this time, to face a Napoli side battling to avoid elimination from the competition.
It's UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday, January 28, as Chelsea travels to Naples to face a Napoli team needing a win to survive. Blues boss Liam Rosenior will be aiming to secure the points to guarantee a top-eight finish.
📈Team Form📉
🔹 Napoli: 25th in the 36-team league phase, needing a win to qualify for the knockout playoffs.
🔸 Chelsea: Eighth in the league phase, needing a win to secure automatic qualification for the last 16.
📊Key Stats & Head-to-Head 📊
🔥 Chelsea are on a three-match winning run across all competitions.
🔥 Chelsea have won just two of 13 away matches in European competition against Italian teams.
🔥 Napoli are unbeaten at home in the Champions League this season (7 points from 9).
🔥 While Chelsea leads the all-time H2H, Napoli's last win over Chelsea was a 3-1 victory at the Maradona in 2012.
🔬 What to Expect From Both Teams👀
🔵Napoli | Form: W🟢L🔴D🟡W🟢L🔴D🟡
Antonio Conte's side were crushed 3-0 by Juventus in Serie A last weekend, extending their poor run. With their Champions League fate in their own hands at home, expect a fiercely motivated performance. Key attacker Scott McTominay has scored four of their seven UCL goals.
⚫Chelsea | Form: W🟢W🟢D🟡W🟢L🔴W🟢
Liam Rosenior's side extended their winning run with a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace. However, they face a poor historical record in Italy and have not won an away UCL match since October 2022. The potential absence of Cole Palmer could be a significant blow.
👥 Predicted Lineups 👥
🔵Napoli (possible):
Meret, Di Lorenzo, Jesus, Buongiorno, Spinazzola, Lobotka, McTominay, Gutierrez, Vergara, Elmas, Hojlund.
⚫Chelsea (possible):
Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Badiashile, Cucurella, James, Caicedo, Pedro Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.
🔥 Matchups & Players to Watch 👀
✨ Scott McTominay — Has been Napoli's main UCL threat, scoring four goals. He will be crucial in midfield.
✨ Estevao — Impressed against Palace with a goal; could retain his place at Chelsea's wings.
✨ Joao Pedro — Key for the Blues in 2 of the 3 goals scored against Palace, his involvement and role are key.
✨ Rasmus Hojlund — Expected to lead Napoli's line with Romelu Lukaku not fit to start.
💵 Odds Market on MSport 💵
💵 Napoli/Home to win = 3.30
💵 Chelsea/Away to win = 2.28
💵 Both teams to score (GG/NG Yes) = 2.28
💵 Over 2.5 total goals = 1.83
This clash presents a classic clash of context: a Chelsea side seeking top-tier security faces a Napoli team fighting for their continental survival on home turf.
With history offering hope for the hosts, the Maradona stadium is set for a compelling Champions League night.
Who do you think will take the points? Tell us your prediction in the comments.
🔗 You can follow the Napoli vs Chelsea game here on MSport.
#Napoli #Chelsea #UCL #ChampionsLeague #Conte #Rosenior #MaradonaStadium #McTominay #JoaoPedro #Hojlund #Palmer #Estevao
_large.png)