Tonight will see the old vs the new of Chelsea as their new manager looks set to go up against one of the prolific former bosses of the club.
Liam Rosenior is taking on Antonio Conte’s Napoli side, with the Blues knowing a win will almost guarantee them a place in the top eight of the Champions League group stages.
Chelsea have been made slight favourites for the tie, however the Italians know they need a result in order to not be completely eliminated from the competition.
Rosenior would love to replicate the successes Conte achieved at Stamford Bridge. The current Napoli boss won the Premier League and FA Cup in just two seasons in charge.
Juventus FC v SSC Napoli - Serie A
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Antonio Conte’s heartfelt message to ‘special’ Chelsea fans
Chelsea fans really took to his style of play in his first season in charge, especially after he tweaked the system to a three-at-the-back which proved too much for any other English side to deal with.
Speaking to TNT Sports before the game, Conte stated that he still has very fond memories of his time at the club, recalling the iconic chant the Stamford Bridge faithful frequently serenaded him with.
He said: “I remember the chant to me. ‘Antonio! Antonio!’ The stadium is special, because it’s in London. Great memories. Now, they are growing, and for sure it’s one of the best clubs, not only in England but in the world.”
Rosenior is currently on a run of four wins out of five since taking over the club, although securing three points in Naples will clearly be the most impressive result of his tenure so far.
Chelsea v Watford - Premier League
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Chelsea may prosper from not actually beating Napoli
There is a prospect where Chelsea do not win against Napoli and actually set themselves up for a more comfortable run in the Champions League.
While a draw would likely mean a play-off tie is needed, however a route to at least the semi-finals where they do not have to face Arsenal or Bayern Munich.
Both sides have already got the better of Chelsea in different competitions this season, and are the favourites to lift the trophy in May.
This won’t be on the mind of Rosenior though, who is looking to instill confidence in his players that he has the capacity to lead them forwards.
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