Napoli go into the final round of the Europa League group phase potentially finishing anywhere from first to last.
Their 2-1 defeat to Spartak Moscow was followed by this evening’s 3-1 Leicester City victory over Legia Warsaw.
This leaves Group C ridiculously open going into the sixth and final round.
Only the group winners go directly into the Europa League Round of 16, while the runners-up enter a play-off.
The team in third place drops down to the Europa Conference League and those in bottom are out of Europe entirely for this season.
Leicester City are currently top on eight points, followed by both Spartak Moscow and Napoli on seven, then Legia Warsaw six.
Spartak are in second because they have a superior head-to-head record with Napoli, having beaten them both home and away.
The final games are on December 9, with Napoli hosting Leicester and Legia Warsaw welcoming Spartak Moscow.
Napoli need to win in order to win the group, whereas a draw would send them into the play-off.
They can even lose to Leicester and still take third place if Legia also lose.
Leicester are the only team guaranteed to finish in the top three.
They will be top if they win away to Napoli, or they lose and Spartak fail to beat Legia.
If Spartak Moscow win and Leicester fail to beat Napoli, then the Russians will take the top spot.
If Legia Warsaw beat Spartak Moscow, then the Poles will mathematically clinch second place.
Well, this could get spicy. 😳 #UEL pic.twitter.com/oAfI56SAog
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 25, 2021
“Napoli need to win in order to win the group, whereas a draw would send them into the play-off.”
This is wrong.
A draw would leave them on 8 points, which would mean 3rd place conference League, not play offs.