The Champions League group stage wraps up with an important match at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday as Chelsea visits Naples, looking to secure a spot in the Round of 16 automatically.
A win would ensure Liam Rosenior’s team finishes in the top eight, allowing them to skip the play-off round. However, they face a tough challenge from former manager Antonio Conte, whose Napoli team is currently in 25th place and must win to avoid elimination. Chelsea also needs to improve their historically poor record in Italy to earn the points. Fortunately, Cole Palmer is back in the squad, providing a boost.
Napoli vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news
- Date: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
- Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples
- Referee: Clément Turpin (FRA)
- VAR: Jérôme Brisard (FRA)
- Last Meeting: Chelsea 4–1 Napoli (March 2012), Champions League
Team News
Napoli
Antonio Conte faces a critical injury situation as he strives to keep Napoli’s campaign alive. Key players missing include Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa. David Neres is out after surgery, and Matteo Politano and Amir Rrahmani are also unavailable. Although Romelu Lukaku is back to fitness, Rasmus Højlund is likely to lead the attack once more.
Chelsea
Liam Rosenior welcomed the return of Cole Palmer and goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen. However, several defenders remain unavailable, including Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Dario Essugo. Romeo Lavia is back in training but did not travel to Naples as his recovery continues. Mykhaylo Mudryk is still serving a doping suspension.
Form
Napoli
The reigning Italian champions are struggling with consistency, currently sitting just outside the play-off spots. Napoli has managed to win only one of their last six matches across all competitions. However, they have a strong home performance in the Champions League, losing only one of their last 20 matches at home. Scott McTominay and Rasmus Højlund have been the team’s sole goal-scorers in the competition this season.
Chelsea
Chelsea has won four out of their five matches under Liam Rosenior, recently climbing to fifth place in the league. They also achieved a record completion rate of 94.5% in their last European match. However, the team’s record in Italy remains poor, having lost six out of their last seven away games there. Moisés Caicedo is crucial, being the top provider for line-breaking passes in the tournament.
Predicted Lineups
Napoli Predicted XI: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Juan Jesus; Gutierrez, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Vergara, Elmas; Højlund
Chelsea Predicted XI: Sánchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Estêvão, Fernández, Garnacho; Pedro
How to watch Napoli vs Chelsea?
The match will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 4, with streaming available via the discovery+ app.
Read more- Champions League state of play: What every Premier League team needs on final day
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