Napoli out of Europe after Chelsea defeat at Maradona

Napoli out of Europe after Chelsea heartbreak at the Maradona

Napoli is out of all European competitions.

The game that really sealed the deal was the 3-2 loss against Chelsea at the Maradona stadium.

Joao Pedro scored twice, turning Napoli’s temporary 2-1 lead around.

The 55,000 fans at the Maradona stadium had hoped for a different outcome after drawing 1-1 against Copenhagen on the last UCL matchday.

But this wasn’t the right match to dream of the Champions League playoffs. Chelsea is just a level above Napoli, which has been struggling lately.

Actually, the Azzurri deserved a little bit more. Instead, it ended 3-2 for the Blues in Fuorigrotta, with Enzo Fernandez’s penalty and Joao Pedro’s bursts in the second half proving enough.

In between, there was Vergara’s fairy-tale goal (in every sense) and Hojlund’s strike. But it was all for nothing: Conte is out of the running for the European competition once again.

Conte eliminated as Napoli’s Champions League run ends

So, Antonio Conte’s squad is out of the European game for this season.

Now they can focus on Serie A and the Coppa Italia. But most of all, they’ll be trying to get as many players back from the injury list.

Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, spoke before the match against Chelsea, emphasizing how huge the challenge was, not only because of what was at stake but also because of the reduced number of players available to Conte.

There was also room for Napoli’s transfer market, which is blocked not only by the need to balance the books, but also by the fact that they have to budget for the lost revenue from a Champions League advance that will not happen.

Napoli transfer plans change after European exit

There was some chatter about Raheem Sterling, but Manna himself said no to the English striker, who’d just been let go from his Chelsea contract that afternoon.

“Raheem’s a really strong player, but he hasn’t played in a while. We talked to him during the summer, and it’s no secret, but right now, I think it’s tough because he still has some big financial expectations.”

Alisson Santos of Sporting is a player that Napoli has its eye on. They’ve been keeping tabs on him for a while. He’s a player with a lot of talent and flair, and the next few hours are going to be huge for him.