Naples, Italy - In a crucial Champions League match held on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Napoli and Chelsea clashed at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Both teams were in dire need of a victory to secure their respective Champions League ambitions.

Napoli, under the guidance of former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, entered the match sitting in 25th place and fighting to keep their European campaign alive. The reigning Italian champions have struggled on their return to the Champions League, having lost three of their seven games. To secure a spot in the playoff round, they needed to finish 24th or higher. Their recent form has been poor, further compounded by injuries. A heavy 3-0 defeat to Juventus preceded the match, leaving them nine points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan. However, Napoli has a strong home record in European competitions against English sides, winning eight of 11 encounters and losing only twice.

Chelsea, managed by Liam Rosenior, are aiming for a top-eight finish to guarantee direct progression to the Round of 16 and avoid the playoff round. Chelsea is eighth and level on points with multiple other teams making goal difference a crucial factor.

In team news, Chelsea made two changes to the side that won 3-1 against Crystal Palace. Robert Sanchez started in goal, protected by a defense of Malo Gusto, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, and Marc Cucurella. Moises Caicedo and Andrey Santos formed the midfield partnership, while Estevao Willian, Enzo Fernandez, and Pedro Neto supported Joao Pedro in attack. Cole Palmer, recovering from a thigh strain, was named among the substitutes. Napoli's starting lineup included Meret, Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Jesus, Spinazzola, Lobotka, McTominay, Olivera, Vergara, Elmas and Hojlund.

The match ended with a 0-0 score.

For American fans, the game was available on Paramount+, which holds exclusive live English-language broadcast rights for the UEFA Champions League in the US.