João Pedro played a crucial role in Chelsea’s comeback, scoring two second-half goals to secure a 3-2 victory over Napoli at the Diego Maradona Stadium, propelling them into the Champions League last 16.
Chelsea appeared on the brink of suffering their third away defeat in four European matches, trailing after Rasmus Hojlund’s late first-half goal for Napoli. With the need for a win to avoid a play-off round in February, Chelsea opted for an unconventional three-man defense, employing Reece James and Marc Cucurella in unfamiliar central roles to counter Napoli’s system, an adjustment that initially showed promise.
After taking an early lead through an Enzo Fernandez penalty, Chelsea was stunned by 23-year-old academy graduate Antonio Vergara, whose first senior goal will be remembered in the city. Meanwhile, Cole Palmer was on the bench, reportedly set to leave Chelsea to return to Manchester, and the team struggled to regain control after Napoli’s equalizer.
Things looked grim for Chelsea as Hojlund extended Napoli’s lead, but João Pedro had different plans. Out of nowhere, he turned the game around with a spectacular long-range strike and a decisive goal in the 82nd minute.
Chelsea had started promisingly, with James winning a free kick that led to a penalty from Fernandez after being handled by Juan Jesus. Fernandez’s calm execution ignited a wave of Napoli pressure that soon transformed the match.
Defensively, Chelsea began to falter, as Hojlund drew a save from Robert Sánchez and the hosts exploited the gaps in Chelsea’s three-man defense. A miscalculated clearance by Andrey Santos fell directly to Napoli, setting up the equalizer as Mathías Olivera assisted Vergara, who elegantly maneuvered past Wesley Fofana before scoring.
Diving deeper into Chelsea’s defensive struggles, Olivera again found space to assist Hojlund, whose first-time finish put Napoli ahead. Coach Liam Rosenior introduced Palmer for added creativity, but it was Pedro’s brilliance from 25 yards that leveled the score and breathed new life into Chelsea’s European campaign.
With the momentum shift, Chelsea pushed forward, eventually leading to Pedro’s late heroics that sealed their place in the next round of the tournament.