Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Napoli: Pedro’s Brace Fires Blues Into Last 16

João Pedro’s superb second-half brace fired Chelsea into the Champions League round of 16, all while condemning Napoli to elimination.

Antonio Conte had called for more “respect” after Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti labelled his side as “former Italian champions” in the wake of Napoli’s 3–0 defeat in Turin at the weekend. Facing up against his ex-employers, Conte, despite the depleted squad at his disposal, was out to prove a point.

And while he was initially helped by Liam Rosenior believing he could match Conte’s 3-4-2-1, Chelsea’s quality eventually told as the spirited hosts faded after taking a 2–1 lead. João Pedro’s brace proved the difference, but Rosenior’s switch to a back four was also key.

The Blues, for much of Wednesday night, looked set for two extra games in the play-offs, but their second-half turnaround means they finished the league phase in sixth.

Heroes and Villains

Heroes

These were João Pedro’s third and fourth goals in four starts under Rosenior, with the ruthlessness of his strikes taking Chelsea supporters back to the Club World Cup.

While his recent left-footed strike in the 2–0 win over Brentford could’ve veered into the realm of “swinger,” the Brazilian’s first goal on Wednesday night was nothing of the sort. Pedro fired a weak-footed shot beyond Alex Meret between the Napoli posts and into the top corner to restore parity, and the match-winning moment was a pinpoint effort across the Italian goalkeeper from inside the box.

The speed at which he got his shots off after working the opening were key, as was the introduction of Cole Palmer at half-time and Enzo Fernández’s alternate role after Rosenior wisely switched to a back four on the hour mark.

Villain

While Rosenior’s initial setup didn’t exactly pay dividends, with the wing backs struggling, Wesley Fofana could’ve done better in trying to prevent both Napoli goals in the first half.

The Frenchman, typically so snappy in the tackle, was rolled brilliantly by Antonio Vergara, who scored his first Napoli goal. Rasmus Højlund then got across Fofana to convert Mathías Oliveira’s cross at the near post.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Napoli

Enzo Fernández scored from the penalty spot. | Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Robert Sánchez—6.9: There wasn’t all that much for Sánchez to do until he denied Romelu Lukaku in stoppage time. Not much he could’ve done with the goals, and his distribution over longer distances was often pinpoint.

CB: Reece James (c)—7.0: James has previously produced a performance of a lifetime at centre back for Thomas Tuchel at the Bernabéu. This wasn’t quite as impressive, but Chelsea’s captain is proving himself to be a masterful jack-of-all-trades.

CB: Wesley Fofana—7.2: Arguably at fault for both of Napoli’s goals, but rebounded well in the second half.

CB: Marc Cucurella—6.9: Suffered in Rosenior’s back three, primarily because of the space his wing back surrendered. The Spaniard was much more comfortable in a four, especially when his side had possession.

RWB: Malo Gusto—6.4: Always seemed a yard off the pace when he tried to press high, with Napoli often successfully combining around him. No surprise he was taken off before the hour mark.

DM: Andrey Santos—6.3: Dropped into Chelsea’s backline at times, similar to how he did at Crystal Palace on Sunday. Santos is a snapper dueler who’s likely to create plenty of turnovers, but his passing was imprecise when he sought to move the ball forward

DM: Moisés Caicedo—6.4: Did well to escape a booking in the opening period, but crucially steadied himself after the restart. Late tracking Napoli’s runs into the half-spaces at times.

LWB: Pedro Neto—6.9: Neto absolutely would’ve thrived as a Conte wing back, but his role for Rosenior offered Cucurella little defensive cover. Napoli had plenty of joy exploiting the space behind the Portuguese, who was hauled off at the break after creating a decent chance for João Pedro.

AM: Enzo Fernández—8.0: The Argentine’s penalty was dispatched with aplomb, and he enjoyed himself after dropping into a deeper position. Stanislav Lobotka had given him the runaround for the first hour.

AM: Estêvão—6.2: The youngster wasn’t quite at the races in Naples. Didn’t look comfortable in either role he played.

ST: João Pedro—9.1: The Brazilian was Chelsea’s match-winner, as the Blues won a Champions League game in Italy for the first time since 2004. Pedro’s strikes were superb, but so was his movement to befuddle the Napoli centre-backs throughout.

SUB: Cole Palmer (46’ for Neto)—8.2: Wasn’t at his sharpest, but probed and helped breach Napoli’s backline in the second half. Big difference maker.

SUB: Jamie Gittens (59’ for Santos)—6.1: Subbed off himself late on. Things aren’t clicking for him.

SUB: Trevoh Chalobah (59’ for Gusto)—6.4: It was a surprise that Chalobah wasn’t included in the starting XI, but Chelsea improved with him partnering Fofana in a back four.

SUB: Alejandro Garnacho (74’ for Estêvão)—6.2: Tried his best to get Napoli into the game with a disastrous giveaway in stoppage time that forced Sánchez into a crucial save.

SUB: Benoît Badiashile (90’ for Gittens)—N/A

Subs not used: Filip Jörgensen (GK), Max Merrick (GK), Jorrel Hato, Josh Acheampong, Liam Delap, Marc Guiu.

What the Ratings Tell Us

Estêvão struggled in Rosenior’s new system. | Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

Estêvão is a superstar in the making, but the Brazilian can blow hot and cold at his young age. After shining in the Premier League on Sunday, the young winger never settled in Rosenior’s setup, and he barely got a sniff when stationed out on the left for the start of the second half.
Pedro Neto was utilised as an up-and-down wing-back, as Rosenior boldly opted to play Conte at his own game. While the Portuguese delivered a tantalising cross for João Pedro at the end of the first half, his withdrawal at the break depicted the inefficacy of Chelsea’s wing backs, and Rosenior turned to Palmer.
Cole Palmer’s half-time introduction was pivotal to Chelsea’s turnaround. The England international, who missed the previous two games with a thigh injury, wasn’t the star of the night, but he’ll be credited with assisting both of Pedro’s goals. While Chelsea were impressive in his absence on Sunday, the Blues, despite Pedro’s re-emergence, do not boast a game-breaker of Palmer’s ice-cold quality.

The Numbers That Explain Pedro’s Decisive Night

João Pedro’s thumping left-footed effort that brought Chelsea back into the game at 2–2 notched an xG of just 0.03, highlighting the quality of the finish. The Brazilian’s second goal came in at 0.16, with Pedro’s shift onto his right foot helping him have a better sight of Meret’s back post.

Statistic	Napoli	Chelsea
Possession	46%	54%
Expected Goals (xG)	0.98	2.01
Total Shots	8	11
Shots on Target	5	5
Big Chances	1	4
Passing Accuracy	86%	89%
Fouls Committed	15	15
Corners	4	1