Champions League Matchday 8: Napoli vs Chelsea facts

Napoli lie just outside the qualifying places for the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds ahead of Matchday 8, when the Italian champions welcome a Chelsea side with their eyes set on direct progress to the round of 16.

The Serie A side are 25th in the league phase standings on eight points having won only one of their last five fixtures; Chelsea are eighth on 13 points and already sure of reaching at least the knockout phase play-offs.

Last match

The teams' only previous meetings came in the 2011/12 round of 16, when Chelsea overturned a 3-1 first-leg defeat in Naples with a 4-1 extra-time win at Stamford Bridge; Chelsea went on to claim their first Champions League title.

Napoli have won seven of their previous ten matches at home against English teams (D1 L2), most recently beating Liverpool 4-1 in the 2022/23 group stage.

However, the Naples club have lost their last two games to Premier League opponents, kicking off this Champions League campaign with a 2-0 defeat at Manchester City.

Chelsea have won only two of their 13 away games against Italian opposition (D3 L8), losing six of the last seven (W1) including 1-2 at Atalanta on Matchday 6.

Defeat in Bergamo ended the Blues' three-game winning run against Serie A sides – although Chelsea have only four victories in their last 14 matches versus Italian opponents (D3 L7).

Napoli

This is Napoli's ninth campaign in the Champions League proper; their best performance came in 2022/23, when they reached the quarter-finals.

The Naples club were not involved in UEFA competition in 2024/25 – the first time they had missed out since 2009/10.

Chelsea 

This is Chelsea's 20th Champions League campaign, and a first since 2022/23, when they progressed to the quarter-finals – they have reached the knockout rounds in their last eight campaigns.

Enzo Maresca's side won the UEFA Conference League in 2024/25, beating Real Betis 4-1 in the final.

Chelsea parted company with Maresca on 1 January, appointing Liam Rosenior as his replacement five days later.

Key stats

Napoli coach Antonio Conte was Chelsea manager between 2016 and 2018, winning the 2016/17 Premier League title and 2017/18 FA Cup in his two seasons in charge.

Napoli were held 1-1 at Copenhagen on Matchday 7 and have won only two of their last nine Champions League matches (D3 L4).

The Italian side have picked up seven of their eight league phase points this season at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where they have lost only one of their last 20 Champions League matches (W12 D7).

Chelsea were 1-0 home winners against Pafos on Matchday 7 and have lost only two of their last 12 Champions League group stage/league phase games (W8 D2).

The victory against Pafos was Chelsea's 16th in their last 20 European matches (D1 L3).

Chelsea have scored in their last 22 European games and have opened the scoring in their last six.

Indeed, none of Chelsea's last 55 European fixtures have finished goalless.