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Why a win over Chelsea could turn around Napoli's dwindling campaign
The Champions League league phase concludes on Wednesday, with the final fixtures taking place on a packed night of European action.
Only the top eight teams in the league will qualify for the knockout round automatically, with the next 16 teams set for a play-off berth and an additional two games to the calendar.
Right now, a quick glance at the table will show no Serie A team in the top eight, with Atalanta, Inter and Juventus all amongst a cluster of teams all hoping to squeeze into the qualifying spots on the final day.
Further down the league, in 23rd spot, is reigning champions Napoli, who go into the final game clinging to hopes of just staying in the competition by nabbing a play-off place.
They welcome Chelsea on Wednesday, knowing only a win will do as they look to turn around a season that is in danger of petering out for Antonio Conte's side.
European woe
Napoli went into the 2025-26 Champions League campaign looking to finally make a mark on the competition, following their second Scudetto win in three years. The furthest they'd ever gone was reaching the last eight in 2023, but with a squad boosted by some key signings and a core of the Serie A winners, there was hope they could at least look to repeat that feat.
However, the league phase has been a bit of a disaster for Conte's side. They lost to Manchester City on Matchday 1, after being reduced to 10 early on in the game, and have since only won two of their seven games thus far.
Those home victories over Sporting and Qarabag have been small comfort to dropped points against Copenhagen and Benfica, as well as the season's lowest ebb, when the Italian champions were thrashed 6-2 by PSV on Matchday 3 - a real kick in the teeth for Napoli.
Those results have left them a point outside of the play-off spots with one game to spare, and face the distinct possibility of crashing out of Europe altogether if they don't get a positive result in their final game.
It's a run of form that has now also crept into their domestic defence, too. For most of the first half of the season, Napoli have kept up the pace in Serie A's tight tussle at the top, but following a 3-0 loss to Juventus on Sunday, the champions seem to be running out of steam and are now nine points off leaders Inter.
They have already bagged one trophy this campaign, winning the Supercoppa Italiana in December, but right now it's hard to see them in the running for either the title or Champions League. (C)Getty images
All too many absentees
No club likes to look for excuses for their disappointing results, but Napoli haven't been helped by several long-term injuries to key players this season.
They began the campaign without Romelu Lukaku, last season's top scorer, and a pivotal focal point in attack. The Belgian injured his thigh during pre-season and only played his first minutes of the term last weekend.
Kevin De Bruyne arrived in the summer and early on looked like he'd be a real asset to Napoli's midfield, but he's been sidelined since October with a hamstring issue.
Then there's Frank Anguissa, arguably the club's best player in the first few months of the campaign, but he's been another absentee for the past four months.
Gli Azzurri have also had to cope without Stanislav Lobotka, Billy Gilmour, David Neres and Amir Rrahmani at times this season, stretching their squad to the limit.
Beating the Blues
Injuries or not, Napoli's whole season could come down to what happens when Antonio Conte welcomes old club Chelsea to the Maradona on Wednesday.
The Blues will also be looking for a win, as another side with hopes of making the top eight, with the trip to Naples the toughest test so far for new rookie boss Liam Rosenior.
Yet, it's the home side who need the win more. Not just to make sure of their continued presence in European competition this season, but to boost a season that is in real need of a recharge, both domestically and in the Champions League.
It would be a win to show they still have what it takes to take a big European scalp, something they've failed miserably to do this season. And while this might be a transitional Chelsea, it's one that has comfortably beaten Barcelona in this round, and are still reigning FIFA Club World Cup champions.
To do so, they'll need their big game players to show exactly why they are the club's go-to guys. Scott McTominay, so often the man to look to when the chips are down, needs another swashbuckling display in the middle of the park, where Moises Caicedo will look to dominate.
Rasmus Hojlund needs to put in another reminder to Premier League fans why the issue was Manchester United and not his displays, by adding to the nine goals he's scored this season. While Conte himself, a serial winner domestically, needs to show he can transmit his methods to Europe, just when his team needs it.
If the Italians can find that formula and save their European campaign, it could be the victory that saves their season, too.
Getty Images
Full Champions League fixture list for Matchday 8
Wednesday, 28 January
- Ajax v Olympiakos
- Arsenal v Kairat Almaty
- Athletic Bilbao v Sporting CP
- Atlético Madrid v FK Bodø/Glimt
- Barcelona v FC Copenhagen
- Bayer Leverkusen v Villarreal
- Benfica v Real Madrid
- Borussia Dortmund v Inter Milan
- Club Brugge v Olympique Marseille
- Eintracht Frankfurt v Tottenham Hotspur
- Liverpool v FK Qarabağ
- Manchester City v Galatasaray
- Monaco v Juventus
- Napoli v Chelsea
- PSV Eindhoven v Bayern Munich
- Pafos v Slavia Prague
- Paris St Germain v Newcastle United
- Union Saint-Gilloise v Atalanta
How to watch the Champions League in the USA on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch the Champions League in Spanish language as part of their DAZN subscription package.
An annual upfront payment is $224.99 , while paying monthly for 12 months is $19.99 and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
Fans can watch extra Champions League games in Spanish on ViX. A selection of those matches are also available on UNIMÁS and TUDN.
How to watch the Champions League in New Zealand on DAZN
Every Champions League game during the 2025-26 season is streamed in high definition and comes as part of a DAZN subscription.
An annual subscription costs $14.99 per month for 12 months and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
How to watch the Champions League in Canada on DAZN
Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, each offering a different selection of sports. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
