Already assured of progression from the league phase, Chelsea came into this game occupying the eighth and final spot that would grant automatic progression to the last 16.
The Blues were holding onto this by GD alone, a metric that was keeping their opponents Napoli outside the top 24 after dropping points to 10-man Copenhagen on Matchday 7.
After a relatively quiet opening, Juan Jesus was penalised after the quarter-hour mark, handling inside the box from a Reece James free-kick, which allowed Enzo Fernández to convert his fifth penalty of the season with a precise finish beyond Alex Meret’s reach.
To their credit, the Partenopei responded well, with Mathías Olivera heavily involved as the visitors endured a period of pressure.
Eventually, that attacking momentum bore fruit as Naples native Antonio Vergara aptly produced a brilliant Maradona turn, buying him the space to guide a neat finish into the bottom corner for his first senior goal for the club. And with HT fast approaching, the home side edged ahead when Rasmus Højlund swept home Olivera’s low cross.
Both sides sat inside the play-off spots as the second period got underway, a scenario that compelled Liam Rosenior to make a change, bringing on Cole Palmer for Neto. The restart ushered in a period of calm, but as the hour mark ticked by, Pedro sent a rocket into the top corner to level the game once more.
The visitors needed another to retake their place in the top eight, and no sooner had former player Romelu Lukaku taken to the field for his 800th career appearance than Chelsea went ahead thanks to a solo run and clinical strike from Pedro.
That goal, eight minutes from time, knocked the stuffing out of Napoli, who saw Robert Sánchez thwart Lukaku in stoppage time to ultimately get Chelsea over the line. Just a second defeat in 21 UCL encounters at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona (W12, D7) means that Antonio Conte’s side miss out on the top 24 by a single point, exiting the UCL as a result.
Meanwhile, Chelsea fans will be delighted to see their side hold onto an automatic berth in the last 16, where they will await their opponent after the conclusion of the knockout play-off round.
Flashscore Man of the Match: João Pedro (Chelsea)