Odds courtesy of TonyBet.
Napoli vs Chelsea Odds
Chelsea is a +122 road favorite at soccer betting sportsbooks. Napoli returns at +225 odds, while a draw is priced at +254. The O/U is set at 2.5 goals.
These two have met twice in the competition before, with Chelsea winning in the 2012 quarterfinals en route to beating Bayern Munich in the showpiece that year.
Napoli vs Chelsea Analysis
It hasn’t been the greatest of title defenses for Napoli, who are sitting in fourth place in Italy, and nine points off the top. They’ve also had a very poor Champions League campaign, compiling a 2-2-3 record, scoring just seven times while conceding 12. The hosts still have a chance to feature in the play-off prior to the Round of 16, but they will need to bring their absolute best on Wednesday against a Chelsea outfit that is starting to find its form.
Antonio Conte’s men have notched just one win over their last six games, but they’ve drawn four times during that span. The 3-0 defeat to Juventus on Sunday was a significant setback, though, and now, the Old Lady sits right on their heels in fifth. A draw, at the very least, is the only acceptable result on Wednesday, given where Napoli is in the standings. They’re in 25th with eight points, and seven other clubs have between six and eight points as well. Even a draw may not be enough, depending on how results elsewhere go, but a win would guarantee them a berth in the play-off.
The Blues may not be in the title race in the Premier League, but the change they made in the Stamford Bridge dugout has given this club a much-needed boost. Life for Liam Rosenoir at Chelsea has been a treat, with the London giants notching three straight wins across all competitions since the 3-2 League Cup defeat to Arsenal on January 14. The Blues emerged victorious on matchday seven of the Champions League last Wednesday, beating Cyprus-based outfit Pafos 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Moises Caicedo produced the goods in the 78th minute to give Chelsea a huge three points in the competition, and they now have a 4-1-2 record in the Champions League group stage. The Blues came out firing against Palace over the weekend as well, with Estevao, Joao Pedro, and Enzo Fernandez hitting the back of the net. The Blues are starting to find a rhythm, and a victory on Wednesday would surely guarantee them a spot in the top eight. A draw would be acceptable, but it depends on how results unfold elsewhere – just like Napoli’s situation.
Napoli vs Chelsea Injury News
Napoli remains without a laundry list of players. Kevin De Bruyne, Frank Anguissa, Billy Gilmour (groin), Matteo Politano (muscle), David Neres (ankle), and Amir Rrahmani (muscle) are all unavailable. Levi Colwill (knee), Tosin Adarabioyo (hamstring,), and Dario Essugo are sidelined for Chelsea, while Romeo Lavia and Filip Jorgensen aren’t quite ready to return, either.
Napoli vs Chelsea Picks
Napoli have struggled to put away opponents in recent weeks, and the weekend defeat to Juve was likely an eye-opener. I’ll take them to bounce back and at least hold Chelsea to a point. A draw is the best bet here.
Pick: Draw +254/TonyBet
