Napoli and Chelsea face off this Wednesday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in a showdown that means far more than three points on the final matchday of the Champions League league phase. Napoli come in under pressure, sitting outside the top 24 and needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, while Chelsea are looking to lock up direct qualification to the knockout rounds and avoid a tougher path ahead. With shared history, heavy numbers, and two very different moments colliding, this one feels like a do-or-die night in Naples.
Napoli lean on the Maradona to stay alive
The Italian side sits just 25th, with eight points from seven matches. An uneven campaign is starting to take its toll. They’ve managed two wins, two draws, and three losses, but the past week was especially rough. The 3–0 thrashing by Juventus in Turin exposed plenty of flaws, and the draw against Copenhagen, even after playing with an extra man from the 35th minute on, felt like a missed chance. Scott McTominay opened the scoring, Jordan Larsson pulled one back, and Napoli left Parken feeling even more squeezed.
If there’s one reason fans still believe, it’s called the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Napoli have lost just once in their last 20 home Champions League games, with 12 wins and seven draws. Against English clubs, the record is encouraging too, eight wins in their last 11 European meetings in Naples.
Even so, the warning lights are on. The team has won only one of its last ten Champions League matches against sides from Europe’s top five leagues. On top of that, Antonio Conte is still searching for consistency since taking charge. The coach reunites with Chelsea, where he lifted the Premier League and FA Cup, but he’s beaten the Blues just once in five attempts since leaving London.
The math still allows for hope. Five clubs are tied on eight points, and a home win could push Napoli back into the qualification zone. But any slip-up here could mean an early exit.
Chelsea arrive flying, but carry a rough Italian track record
Chelsea touch down in Naples sitting eighth, with 13 points from six games and confidence high after a 3–1 away win over Crystal Palace. It marked Liam Rosenior’s third straight victory in charge, and his side now has four wins in their last five outings since Enzo Maresca’s departure.
Recent European form looks solid. The Blues have lost just two of their last 12 games in the Champions League group or league phase, and they’ve scored in each of their last 20 matches in major UEFA competitions, a club record.
The trouble starts when Italy enters the picture. Chelsea have won only two of 13 away games against Italian clubs in European tournaments and have lost six of their last seven. The most recent setback came in this very Champions League campaign, against Atalanta, despite holding a lead.
Another stat that weighs heavy is their long road drought in the competition. The Londoners haven’t won away in the Champions League since October 2022. Since then, they’ve fallen to Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Atalanta, along with a draw against Qarabag.
Despite their strong position, Chelsea aren’t safe yet. Eight teams sit on 13 points, and a loss in Naples could knock the English side out of the seeded spots, forcing them into a tricky playoff.