Chelsea defeated Napoli 2-3 in a thrilling match at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, securing their spot in the Champions League Round of 16. With 16 points, the Blues outperformed clubs like Sporting and Manchester City to finish sixth in the league phase.
The Blues’ hero was Joao Pedro, who scored two outstanding goals to win the pivotal match. Chelsea had earlier taken the lead in the first half thanks to a goal from Enzo Fernandez, but the home team rallied to make it a contest. The Blues eventually advanced directly to the knockout stages and avoided the playoff route thanks to the victory.
Chelsea’s next European match is scheduled for March, when they will play either Qarabag, Monaco, Newcastle, or PSG in the Round of 16. The Blues’ outstanding season allowed them to avoid the two-leg playoff ties scheduled for February by navigating a difficult league phase and securing automatic qualification.
The outcome was a disappointing conclusion for Napoli’s European campaign. In what has been called a disastrous European campaign, the Serie A champions finished 30th out of 36 teams and were eliminated in the league phase.
Chelsea’s victory in Naples is their first away Champions League victory of the year, and it’s a crucial outcome that keeps them in the running for European championships. The Blues can now focus on their domestic obligations, including their Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, as they have a few weeks before their next European match.
Who Will Chelsea Play Against In The 16th Round?
The results of the playoff round will determine Chelsea’s opponents in the Round of 16. The seeded teams, Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United, will be paired with either Monaco or Qarabag. On Friday, these playoff ties will be drawn.
Newcastle United finished in 12th place in the league phase, while PSG finished in 11th place with the same number of points and goal differential as the French team. The playoffs will be played at home by the seeded teams during the midweeks of February 17–18 and 24–25. After that, the two playoff winners will play Chelsea or Barcelona in the Round of 16.
Chelsea have an advantage going into the knockout stages thanks to their sixth-place finish. Rosenior’s team will be well-rested when they return to European action in March, having avoided the playoff round entirely. This could give them an advantage over their eventual opponents, who will have fought through an additional two-legged tie.