Napoli’s Three Tenors take on Chelsea tonight in the Champions League, who start with Didier Drogba.
The first leg of this Round of 16 tie kicks off at 19.45 UK time at the packed Stadio San Paolo, where it is raining heavily this evening.
Napoli’s Three Tenors take on Chelsea tonight in the Champions League, who start with Didier Drogba.
The first leg of this Round of 16 tie kicks off at 19.45 UK time at the packed Stadio San Paolo, where it is raining heavily this evening.
The Partenopei have almost a full squad to choose from, as only January signing Eduardo Vargas isout of action.
Hugo Campagnaro was expected to miss out, but has made a rapid recovery for his place in the starting XI.
TheThree Tenors of Edinson Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik are intact.
Coach Walter Mazzarri will not be on the touchline, as he begins a two-match ban for pushing Villarreal’s Nilmar when the striker was time-wasting.
Chelsea have big problems going into this clash, as fans were calling for Andre Villas-Boas to be sacked after poor results in the Premiership and FA Cup.
Captain John Terry will be out of action for two months with a knee injury, as he collided with the post in last month’s FA Cup match with Portsmouth.
There were question marks over who would be picked in attack between Drogba and Torres, but the Ivory Coast hitman has been given the nod.
Unusually, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and the not 100 per cent fit Ashley Cole are on the bench.
Napoli: De Sanctis; Campgnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica; Maggio, Gargano, Inler, Zuniga; Hamsik, Lavezzi; Cavani
Napoli bench: Rosati, Grava, Fernandez, Britos, Dzemaili, Dossena, Pandev
Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Cahill, Bosingwa; Ramires, Malouda, Raul Meireles; Mata, Drogba, Sturridge
Chelsea bench: Turnbull, A Cole, Essien, Lampard, Mikel, Torres, Kalou