## Champions League Showdown: Conte’s Napoli Host Chelsea in Crucial Clash
Tonight, the formidable Stadio Diego Armando Maradona sets the stage for a captivating Champions League encounter as Antonio Conte prepares his Napoli side to face his former club, Chelsea. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the defending Serie A champions, who currently find themselves in 25th position. A vital victory could be the catalyst, almost certainly propelling them into the top 24 teams required to compete in the two-legged play-off ties in February, a crucial hurdle before reaching the coveted quarter-finals.
Across the pitch, Chelsea arrives in Naples occupying the eighth spot, which guarantees automatic qualification to the last 16. However, manager Liam Rosenior knows a draw might not be enough to solidify their position and avoid the play-offs. Expect the Blues to adopt an aggressive approach, aiming for a definitive win to secure their path. Chelsea comes into this fixture riding a wave of momentum, having clinched their third consecutive win across all competitions with a convincing 3-1 Premier League triumph over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
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### Napoli’s Starting XI and Tactical Insights
Injury concerns have significantly impacted Antonio Conte’s selection for Napoli. The manager has been forced to name a lean bench of just seven substitutes, notably including two goalkeepers and former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, who will be eager to make an impact if called upon.
**Napoli Starting XI:** Meret; Buongiorno, Di Lorenzo, Juan Jesus; Spinazzola, Lobotka, McTominay, Oliveira; Vergara, Elmas, Hojlund
**Napoli Substitutes:** Contini, Spinelli, Gutierrez, Lukaku, Beukema, De Chiara, Garafalo
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### Chelsea’s Lineup for the Maradona Trip
Chelsea’s squad sees captain Reece James deployed in an unfamiliar, yet intriguing, centre-back role. Creative maestro Cole Palmer starts on the bench, providing a strong option for Rosenior later in the game.
**Chelsea Starting XI:** Sanchez; Gusto, James, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Estevao, Fernandez, Neto; João Pedro
**Chelsea Substitutes:** Jorgensen, Merrick, Badiashile, Delap, Palmer, Gittens, Hato, Chalobah, George, Acheampong, Guiu, Garnacho
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### Catching the Action: Napoli vs Chelsea Broadcast Details
Football enthusiasts can tune in to this thrilling clash at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT) on Wednesday. In the UK, TNT Sports 4 will broadcast the match, with streaming available via the Discovery Plus app. For international viewers, a comprehensive list of local rights holders can be found [HERE].
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### Head-to-Head & Key Statistics
This encounter revives a limited, yet memorable, rivalry between these two European giants:
* The only prior meetings between Napoli and Chelsea occurred in the 2011-12 Champions League campaign. Chelsea emerged victorious, eliminating the Italian side with a narrow 5-4 aggregate scoreline in the round of 16.
* Napoli manager Antonio Conte holds a modest record against his former club, Chelsea, having secured just one win in five attempts.
* The Neapolitans boast an impressive home record in the Champions League, losing only one of their last 20 matches at home (W12 D7), making the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium a formidable fortress.
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### The Road Ahead: Champions League Knockout Phase Dates
The journey to European glory unfolds with these key dates:
* **Knockout Phase Play-offs:** February 17/18 & 24/25, 2026
* **Round of 16:** March 10/11 & 17/18, 2026
* **Quarter-finals:** April 7/8 & 14/15, 2026
* **Semi-finals:** April 28/29 and May 5/6, 2026
* **Final:** May 30, 2026 (Budapest)
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### Mark Your Calendars: Champions League Draw Dates
The fate of the clubs will be determined on these important draw dates:
* **Knockout Phase Play-offs Draw:** January 30, 2026
* **Round of 16, Quarter-final, Semi-final, and Final Draws:** February 27, 2026
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### Decoding the New Format: Champions League 2025/26 Explained
The 2025/26 Champions League introduces an exciting new format, departing from the traditional group stage. In this revamped “league phase,” each participating team will compete in eight distinct matches, facing different opponents.
* Four of these fixtures will be played at home, and four away.
* Opponents are strategically determined from four seeding pots, based on club rankings. Teams will play two adversaries from each pot – one at home and one away.
* The culmination of these matches forms a single, comprehensive league table.
* The elite top eight sides in this overall standing automatically advance to the Round of 16.
* Teams ranked from ninth to 24th will battle it out in a gripping two-legged knockout phase play-off to earn their place in the last 16.
* Clubs finishing 25th or lower will see their European campaign conclude for the season.
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### English Dominance: Why Six Premier League Clubs in the Champions League?
This season sees an unprecedented six English teams competing in Europe’s most prestigious club competition:
* Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle secured their spots by finishing as the top five teams in the Premier League.
* The additional places are a testament to England’s strong performance in UEFA’s co-efficient rankings, which reward nations based on the collective results of their clubs across European competitions throughout a season.
* Remarkably, Tottenham Hotspur also qualified as the reigning Europa League champions, despite a challenging domestic season where they finished 17th in the league, winning only 11 of their 2024/25 league games and losing 22.
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### The Grand Finale: Where and When?
The pinnacle of European club football, the Champions League final, is scheduled for **May 30, 2026**. This illustrious event will be hosted at the magnificent **Puskás Aréna in Budapest**. Opened in 2019, this state-of-the-art stadium serves as the proud home of Hungary’s national team. It previously witnessed a dramatic 2022/23 Europa League final, where Sevilla triumphed over Roma in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time.
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### Chelsea’s Champions League Squad: A Deeper Look (2025/26)
Chelsea’s “List A” Champions League squad has been officially registered and will remain in effect until the Round of 16 in February 2026. At that point, clubs are permitted to register a maximum of three new players, provided they stay within the existing 25-player limit.
**Goalkeepers:** Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen
**Defenders:** Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Jorell Hato, Reece James
**Midfielders:** Moises Caicedo, Dario Essugo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos
**Forwards:** Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian
Furthermore, “List B” submissions can be made up until midnight before each match. This list comprises players born after January 1, 2004, who have been eligible to represent the club for an uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday. Initially, defender Josh Acheampong, winger Tyrique George, and midfielder Romeo Lavia are included on List B.