PREVIEW: Chelsea looking to reach Champions League R16 at expense of Napoli | OneFootball

Chelsea travel to former boss Antonio Conte’s out-of-form Napoli on Wednesday knowing a win will confirm their place in the Champions League round of 16.

The two-time winners currently sit eighth, level on 13 points with five other teams including giants Barcelona and Manchester City, after an up-and-down European campaign.

But their hosts – on the back of a resounding 3-0 defeat away at Juventus – sit one place outside the playoffs on goal difference, and are in desperate need of a positive result.

Fifth in the Premier League following a 3-1 victory away at Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon, Chelsea seem to be growing well under new manager Liam Rosenior.

Brazilian striker Joao Pedro who has enjoyed his reign thus far, his goal away at Selhurst Park in their 3-1 win over Palace taking the former Brighton man’s tally up to eight.

Chelsea’s new manager will be keen to make anywhere near as good a first impression as Conte in his first season at Stamford Bridge, winning the Premier League and FA Cup.

The London side have impressed on occasions prior to Rosenior’s arrival, not forgetting impressive wins over Barcelona and Ajax, but were frustrated by a 2-2 draw at Qarabag and 2-1 defeat away to Atalanta.

To add to those concerning results on the road, Chelsea have only won once out of nine visits to Italian sides in the Champions League – beating Milan 2-0 in

Chelsea have had injury issues of their own but light is at the end of the tunnel, with Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia now minor doubts with thigh injuries.

But the Blues will be without centre-backs Tosion Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill, the latter still recovering from the ACL injury he sustained at the start of the season.

Former Chelsea duo Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour will miss out on the chance to face their former sides, as the Belgian has been ruled out for the rest of the sesaon with a serious hamstring issue while Gilmour won’t return until February.

Winger Amin Rrahmani and full-back Matteo Politano are also both sidelined until February, while David Neres and Frank Zambo-Anguissa are minor doubts for the clash at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Napoli have launched a disappointing defense of their Scudetto in 2024/25 and lie fourth in Serie A – nine points adrift of runaway leaders Inter Milan – after just one win in five.

However, they can take confidence from winning the Supercoppa Italiana courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Bologna at the King Saud University Stadium, Saudi Arabia, last December.

A win could take them up to 17th, comfortably within the play-off places, giving them a shot of reaching the round of 16 with another win.