Chelsea’s Malo Gusto looks at his phone
Is Chelsea’s Malo Gusto checking the Champions League permutations? Photograph: Matteo Ciambelli/Reuters
So, no Cole Palmer starting for Chelsea. Romelu Lukaku is also on the bench, for Napoli against his old club.
Napoli XI: Meret; Buongiorno, Juan Jesus, McTominay, Olivera, Hojlund, Elmas, Di Lorenzo, Vergara, Spinazzola, Lobotka. Subs: Contini, Spinelli, Gutierrez, Lukaku, Beukema, De Chiara, Garofalo
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, James (C), Fofana, Cucurella, Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Estevao, Fernandez, Neto, Joao Pedro. Subs: Jorgensen, Merrick, Acheampong, Badiashile, Chalobah, Hato, Palmer, Gittens, George, Garnacho, Delap, Guiu
Here’s where the teams stand in the mega table, ahead of the final round.
Pos Team P GD Pts
--- --- --- --- ---
7 Newcastle 7 10 13
8 Chelsea 7 6 13
9 Barcelona 7 5 13
24 Olympiacos 7 -5 8
25 Napoli 7 -5 8
26 Copenhagen 7 -6 8
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Let’s not forget the permutations:
After edging past Pafos last week, Chelsea hold the final top-eight place but face a difficult trip to Antonio Conte’s Napoli, despite the Italian champions’ injury problems. A win in Naples should put Liam Rosenior’s side through to the last 16 but it may come down to goal difference. A draw or a defeat and, again, given the number of teams on 13 points, Chelsea would likely be condemned to the playoffs.
Antonio Conte was a popular Chelsea manager, and then he was no longer Chelsea manager. That’s the way it’s always gone during his coaching career, from Juventus to Italy to Chelsea to Inter to Tottenham (!?) and now Napoli, the trajectory is similar. There’s usually a kick against the suits and then a departure. Another constant is a ruinous record in Europe despite being such a capable coach. Napoli, the Serie A champions no less, are in 25th place and need a win to make the knockouts. Chelsea, for whom Liam Rosenior is the seventh manager since Conte turned up for training in the summer of 2018 and found himself replaced by Maurizio Sarri, are in eighth and probably need a win to escape what they’re calling the “punishment round”. All to play for the in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Join me. Kick-off is 8pm UK time.