Chelsea have given themselves a chance of securing automatic qualification into the Champions League knockout round after beating Pafos 1-0 on Wednesday.
Liam Rosenior’s side struggled to break Pafos down, but Moises Caicedo eventually managed to find the back of the net with a rare header.
Chelsea must now beat Napoli next week if they want to have a chance of finishing in the top eight.
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Before their win against Pafos, Opta’s supercomputer predicted that Chelsea would not secure an automatic qualification spot.
Antonio Conte, coach of Napoli, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between F.C. Copenhagen and SSC Napoli
Photo by Ciro De Luca/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Liam Rosenior not scared of Antonio Conte and Napoli
Napoli are Serie A champions and the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium is a difficult ground to go to.
However, while acknowledging that Antonio Conte is an “incredible coach”, taking the Italian and Napoli on does not faze Rosenior.
In his post-match press conference following Chelsea’s victory over Pafos, the 41-year-old told Nizaar Kinsella and other reporters: “I am not daunted by the prospect, Antonio is an incredible coach, they need to win which changes the dynamic a bit but we focus on Crystal Palace now.”
Pedro Neto really needs to mix up his game 🤦♂️
What did you make of his performance against Pafos?
Pedro Neto's number of crosses vs Pafos
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Rosenior also explained why Reece James was substituted at half-time. The England international is Chelsea captain and one of the team’s most important players, but Rosenior is trying to manage his minutes with so many games coming up.
The Blues’ London derby against Palace is this Sunday before their European clash with Napoli.
Liam Rosenior, Manager of Chelsea, communicates with his players during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between Chelsea FC and Pafos FC
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Early Napoli vs Chelsea score prediction
Again, Napoli away is not an easy fixture. Rosenior’s men are in for a tough match.
As Chelsea fans will recall from his time at Stamford Bridge, Conte is also a great tactician. He knows how to neutralise the threat of other teams, while his sides are always well-organised and structured. In short, they know how to defend.
With that being said, Napoli need to win if they want to have a chance of making it to the Champions League knockout phase play-offs. It means the Serie A outfit are going to have to come out and attack Chelsea, which should give the visitors counter-attacking opportunities. Considering that, The Chelsea Chronicle is going for a 2-1 win for the world champions.
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