Napoli vs. Chelsea: Head-to-head record and past meetings ahead of Champions League contest

By Seye Omidiora | 26 Jan 2026 20:29, Last updated: 26 Jan 2026 20:31

A high-stakes showdown awaits at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday as Napoli and Chelsea clash in their final fixtures in the league phase of the Champions League.

The Blues arrive in Italy occupying the eighth and final automatic qualification spot for the last 16 and will be desperate to avoid falling into the playoff lottery.

For Antonio Conte, a reunion with his former employers comes at a critical juncture as his side sit precariously in 25th place and require a victory to keep their European campaign alive.

It is a meeting between two continental heavyweights who share a brief but explosive history in this competition.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 2

Napoli wins: 1

Draws: 0

Chelsea wins: 1

The only previous competitive meetings between these two clubs occurred during the 2011-12 Champions League campaign in a round-of-16 tie that has since gone down in Chelsea folklore.

In the first leg at Stadio San Paolo, the Italian side appeared to have one foot in the quarter-finals after securing a dominant 3-1 victory.

Ezequiel Lavezzi bagged a clinical brace and Edinson Cavani also found the net to cancel out Juan Mata's opening goal, leaving then-head coach Andre Villas-Boas with a mountain to climb.

However, with Villas-Boas dismissed shotly after, the return leg at Stamford Bridge proved to be a transformative night for the Blues under interim boss Roberto Di Matteo.

Goals from the club's old guard of Didier Drogba, John Terry and Frank Lampard sent the match into extra time after Gokhan Inler had momentarily put Napoli back in control.

The comeback was completed in the 105th minute when Branislav Ivanovic rifled a shot into the roof of the net to secure a 4-1 win on the night and a 5-4 aggregate triumph.

That victory provided the spark for Chelsea's maiden Champions League title and remains the definitive chapter in the history of this fixture.