Napoli and Chelsea will be eager to achieve their short-term objectives in the UEFA Champions League when they clash at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Wednesday.

The curtains will fall on the opening phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League this week. The action on Wednesday will start and end with 18 simultaneous matches, including Napoli vs Chelsea at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

The 2025/26 UEFA Champions League season has been dreadful for Napoli thus far, as they have managed only eight points in seven games. The Serie A champions have won only two matches while losing three times. Goalscoring has been the primary issue for the Partenopei, as they have managed only seven strikes.

The home side’s recent form has been frustrating, as they have won only one of their last six games across all competitions. On the other hand, Chelsea’s results and performances have improved since Liam Rosenior took over as the head coach, as they have won four of their five games under the English tactician. The only blemish came in the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg.

As for Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League 2025/26 campaign, the Blues were slow off the blocks, as they fell to a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on Matchday 1. Since then, they have lost only once more while winning four games to rise to eighth in the standings. So, a top-eight finish is in their hands, and they cannot slip up, as eight teams are within three points of the West London club.

Napoli and Chelsea have clashed only twice previously, with both teams clinching one win before the Blues qualified from the round of 16 in the 2011/12 edition. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

Napoli

Antonio Conte has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Napoli manager will be bereft of the services of over half a dozen first-team players vs Chelsea on Wednesday.

Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (muscular), Amir Rrahmani (muscular), Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (thigh), Billy Gilmour (groin), David Neres (ankle), and Matteo Politano (muscular) remain in the treatment room.

Alex Meret is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Napoli lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs Chelsea on Saturday. The central defensive unit will feature Sam Beukema, Juan Jesus, and Alessandro Buongiorno. Meanwhile, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Leonardo Spinazzola will be the two wing-backs.

The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Stanislav Lobotka and Scott McTominay in the middle of the park. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund will lead the line for Napoli against Chelsea, with Antonio Vergara and Eljif Elmas completing the numbers in the offensive unit.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Meret; Beukema, Buongiorno, Juan Jesus; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Vergara, Elmas; Hojlund

Chelsea

Like his counterpart in the Napoli dugout, Liam Rosenior has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. The Chelsea manager will be without five first-team players on Wednesday.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo, and Romeo Lavia are recovering from hamstring injuries, while Levi Colwill is a long-term absentee due to a knee issue. Additionally, Mykhailo Mudryk continues his suspension after failing a doping test over a year ago. Meanwhile, Rosenior is sweating over the fitness of Filip Jorgensen (knock) and Cole Palmer (thigh).

Robert Sanchez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Chelsea lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Napoli on Wednesday. The backline will feature Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, and Marc Cucurella.

As for the midfield unit, Reece James will pair up with Moises Caicedo in the double pivot, with Enzo Fernandez reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Joao Pedro will spearhead the Chelsea attack against Napoli, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho being the two wide attackers.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Garnacho; Joao Pedro

Key Stats

• The only previous meetings between Napoli and Chelsea came in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League, with the West London club progressing from the round of 16 in that edition (5-4 on aggregate – lost 3-1 away before winning 4-1 at home in the second leg).
• Chelsea have only won one of their last nine UEFA Champions League away games against Italian sides (D1 L7), a 2-0 victory at Milan in October 2022, while losing six of their seven most recent outings. The most recent of those came this season, losing at Atalanta on Matchday 6, despite having taken the lead (2-1 defeat).
• Napoli have lost just one of their last 20 home UEFA Champions League matches (W12 D7), a 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in October 2023. Overall, they have lost only 12% of their home games (4/33), the third-lowest ratio of any team to play 20 or more matches at home in the competition since the 1992/93 edition. However, they have won only one of their last 10 UEFA Champions League ties with sides from one of Europe’s “big-five leagues” (D4 L5), a 1-0 away win at 1. FC Union Berlin in October 2023.
• Antonio Conte has won only one of his five games against his former club Chelsea since leaving his post there (D1 L3). However, that victory came in his most recent game against them (a 2-0 win in February 2023 in the Premier League, in charge of Tottenham).
• Chelsea have scored in their 20 most recent games in major European competitions, their longest ever run. The last side to keep a clean sheet against them was Real Madrid in April 2023, in a 2-0 defeat in the UEFA Champions League.

Player to Watch

Scott McTominay

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While Estevao Willian, Enzo Fernandez, and Rasmus Hojlund were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Scott McTominay as the Player to Watch for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash between Napoli and Chelsea at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

McTominay has scored four goals in his five most recent UEFA Champions League outings. The last Scotsman to score five goals in a European Cup season was Mo Johnston in 1990/91 for Rangers, and the last for a non-Scottish club was John Wark for Liverpool in 1984/85. For Napoli to take something from Wednesday’s game, the onus will be on McTominay to deliver the goods.

Prediction

Napoli 1-1 Chelsea

Statistical analysis suggests a closely-contested affair is on the cards. Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League clashes rarely end without a goal from the West London club, while Napoli’s home record is, by and large, spotless. However, the Blues have been impressive since Liam Rosenior took over as the head coach, showing the “new manager bounce” under the English tactician.

So, the visitors may fancy their prospects of winning the game and sealing a top-eight finish in the opening phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League. However, Napoli will show why they have an excellent record at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in the UEFA Champions League by not conceding many. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw for Wednesday’s clash.