Napoli vs Chelsea: Confirmed starting lineups in Champions League as Palmer starts on the bench

Antonio Conte will be aim to beat his former team tonight and help propel Napoli into the Champions League play-offs.

The reigning Serie A champions sit in 25th place but know a win would all but certainly push them into the top 24 positions required to take part in the two-legged ties in February to reach the quarter-finals.

Chelsea arrive at the intimidating Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in eighth, which is the final automatic qualifying spot for the last 16.

A draw may not be enough to avoid the play-offs, so boss Liam Rosenior is likely to go for the win.

Chelsea earned a third consecutive win in all competitions with a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.

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Napoli starting lineup vs Chelsea

Napoli’s injury problems means Conte names just seven substitutes, including two goalkeepers and former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.

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

Chelsea starting lineup vs Napoli

Captain Reece James appears set to line-up in an unfamiliar centre-half role. Cole Palmer is on the bench.

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

How to watch Napoli vs Chelsea: TV and online streams

Napoli versus Chelsea kicks off at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT) on Wednesday. In the UK, the match is on TNT Sports 4 and can be streamed via the Discovery Plus app.

To watch elsewhere in the world, click HERE to find your local rights holder.

Napoli vs Chelsea stats

• The only previous meetings between Napoli and Chelsea came in the 2011-12 Champions League, with the Blues eliminating the Italian side in the round of 16 5-4 on aggregate
• Napoli manager Antonio Conte has only won one of his five games against former club Chelsea
• Napoli have lost just one of their last 20 home Champions League matches (W12 D7)

When is the Champions League knockout phase?

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)

When are the Champions League draws?

Knockout phase play-offs: January 30 2026
Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final: February 27 2026

Champions League 2025/26 format

In a change from the previous group stage format conducted until 2023/24, each team now plays eight matches in the league phase, all against different opponents.

Four of those matches will be at home and four away, with the opponents determined according to four seeding pots split by rankings.

Teams will play two opponents from each of those pots – one against a team from each pot at home and one away. The results decide the overall standings in one league.

The top eight sides in the table qualify automatically for the round of 16. The teams finishing in ninth to 24th will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to reach the last 16.

Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season.

English teams in the Champions League: Why are there six clubs?

Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle all qualified as the top five teams in the Premier League.

There were five places for English teams because extra positions are awarded based on Uefa’s co-efficient rankings, which are based on the overall performances of nations across European competition over a season.

Spurs qualified as Europa League champions, despite losing 22 and winning only 11 of their 2024/25 league games and finishing 17th.

When is the Champions League final?

The final will take place on May 30 2026 at the The Puskas Arena in Budapest, which opened in 2019 and is home to Hungary’s national team.

The arena hosted a dramatic 2022/23 Europa League final, when Sevilla beat Roma on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Chelsea Champions League squad 2025/26

Chelsea’s List A Champions League squad has been registered until the round of 16 in February 2026, when clubs can register a maximum of three new players within the existing limit of 25.

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

List B submissions, comprised of players born after January 1, 2004 who have been eligible to play for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday, can also be made until midnight before each match.

Defender Josh Acheampong, winger Tyrique George and midfielder Romeo Lavia are initially on List B.