Napoli are getting ready to being eradicated from the Champions League because the troubled Italian membership face Chelsea on Wednesday racked by a deep harm disaster and a faltering Serie A title defence.
Sat simply contained in the elimination zone on solely eight factors from seven matches after final week’s depressing 1-1 draw at FC Copenhagen, Napoli should beat Chelsea to scrape a spot in subsequent month’s play-offs.
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That might be no straightforward job with the Blues, Antonio Conte’s former membership, needing a win to remain within the prime eight and bag direct qualification for the final 16.
And Napoli come into the sport nonetheless stinging from a 3-0 defeat at Juventus which left the Italian champions 9 factors behind present Serie A leaders Inter Milan.
Sunday’s loss in Turin was an enormous slap within the face for Napoli and Juve icon Conte, who was stuffed with reward for his gamers who’ve needed to dig deep within the face of a bunch accidents.
“Before today the last match we’d lost was against Udinese (on December 14). We even won the Italian Super Cup in an emergency, an emergency which has got even worse,” Conte informed DAZN on Sunday.
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“The boys need big support from the fans… We’re going through a difficult period and I expect the fans to get behind the team.”
Conte’s bid to turn into the primary Napoli coach to win back-to-back Serie A titles has been hampered by bodily issues in his squad proper from the beginning of the season.
It began with Romelu Lukaku struggling a hamstring harm in pre-season which saved him out of motion till the 79th minute of Sunday’s loss.
– High seas –
Lukaku changed academy graduate Antonio Vergara who performed rather than Italy worldwide Matteo Politano, whereas new signing Giovane made his debut instead, with Conte later saying he hadn’t even seen him prepare.
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Conte has additionally misplaced big goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic to a hamstring knock whereas winger David Neres flew to London for ankle surgical procedure on Monday which can probably preserve the Brazilian out till April.
Kevin De Bruyne has been out since October and will not be again till the Spring after surgical procedure on his proper hamstring, whereas one other key midfielder in Andre-Frank Anguissa was alleged to be again on Sunday from one other hamstring harm however was omitted resulting from again issues.
“We know that we’re navigating in open waters with very high waves but we’re not getting off the boat,” stated Conte.
“We’re still here, made stronger by the fact that we want to keep fighting with all our might even with the absurd situation that we’re in.
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“These boys are critical, they’re giving all the pieces and I see what they’re doing, what they need to put up with, what they’re risking, as a result of let’s be clear right here, they’re jeopardising their bodily well being.
“They’re playing every three days, not training, and the same players have to play high-intensity football because we don’t have any chance to rotate.”
The solely excellent news for Conte is the return of Lukaku who has changed De Bruyne in Napoli’s European squad, giving the Belgium striker the prospect to get again at Chelsea the place he failed so miserably 4 years in the past.
Last season 11 factors was sufficient to keep away from elimination so a win will virtually actually get Napoli via and supply some reduction to a creaking staff.
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