Napoli will face off against Chelsea in a high-stakes UEFA Champions League clash at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday.
This Matchday 8 fixture is a do or die moment for the hosts, who are on the edge of elimination, while the visitors are fighting to secure an automatic spot in the Round of 16.
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Napoli, the reigning Serie A champions, have struggled to replicate last season’s dominance.
Under Antonio Conte, they find themselves in 25th place in the Champions League table, meaning they need a win to guarantee a spot in the play-off round.
Chelsea, revitalized under Liam Rosenior, currently sit 8th and are looking to bounce back from a mixed run of away form to solidify their place in the top eight.
Napoli vs Chelsea team news
Antonio Conte is dealing with a significant injury list that has hampered Napoli’s consistency.
Key midfielders Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Billy Gilmour are out, as well as defenders Amir Rrahmani and Matteo Politano. Forward David Neres is also sidelined with an ankle issue.
The Blues are monitoring Cole Palmer, who has been participating in training after a minor thigh injury and could feature from the bench.
However, Tosin Adarabioyo (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (thigh), and Levi Colwill (ACL) remain sidelined. Goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen is a doubt, meaning Robert Sánchez is expected to keep his place between the sticks.
Joao Pedro will lead the attacking line, flanked by Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho.
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5.0/5
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Napoli vs Chelsea head-to-head and current form
These two have met once with a win a piece.
The last time these sides met in a competitive knockout environment, Chelsea overturned a first-leg deficit (3-1) to win the tie 5-4 on aggregate, eventually going on to win the Champions League that year.
Both sides have only lost once in their last five matches but Napoli have won just once in that run, compared to Chelsea’s four victories.
Current form
Napoli – LDWDD
Chelsea – WWWLW
Napoli vs Chelsea previous games
- Chelsea 4-1 Napoli (March 14, 2012)
- Napoli 3-1 Chelsea (February 21, 2012)
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Napoli vs Chelsea prediction
Napoli are formidable at home and haven’t lost to Maradona in their last ten outings across all competitions. However, Chelsea’s attacking depth is frightening.
The Blues have only lost one game since Liam Rosenior took charge and have shown dominance over Italian teams in recent history.
Prediction – Both teams to score @1.62 odds
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