Napoli 2-3 Chelsea Player Ratings: A Brace from Joao Pedro Secures Top-Eight Spot For the Blues

The world witnessed Chelsea snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory from the jaws of defeat against Napoli at the Diego Maradona Stadium in Naples. The game was a chaotic, end-to-end affair that left the fans breathless. This was a classic European night filled with controversy, brilliance, and late drama.

Chelsea drew first blood with a penalty from Enzo Fernandez, but Napoli stormed back. They looked set to take the points through goals from Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Hojlund, leading 2-1 at halftime. The second half, however, belonged to the visitors. Their resilience was something to behold.

The comeback was truly inspired, as Joao Pedro turned the match on its head with a brace and silenced the home crowd. It was a tactical battle mixed with moments of individual magic. This UEFA Champions League game will be remembered for its sheer unpredictability and the heroics of one player in particular.

Here are the Napoli vs Chelsea Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Enzo Fernandez put the visitors in the lead from the penalty spot.
• Napoli hit back with goals from Vergara and Hojlund.
• Joao Pedro scored twice to complete the comeback for the Blues.

Napoli Player Ratings vs Chelsea

Have a look at the Napoli Player Ratings from the Napoli vs Chelsea Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Alex Meret - 6.0: A tough night for the keeper. He couldn't do much about the penalty from Enzo Fernández. He was left completely exposed for João Pedro's stunning equalizer from distance. Made a couple of decent saves, including a good one to deny Andrey Santos early on. However, conceding three goals is never a good look for a goalkeeper, even if his defense let him down significantly.

Defenders

Alessandro Buongiorno - 6.5: He was busy all night, making a couple of important tackles and interceptions. We noticed he was aggressive in the duel, winning a respectable six of his nine battles. However, he was part of a backline that ultimately crumbled under pressure. He committed a few too many fouls in dangerous areas for our liking.

Juan Jesus - 4.5: A very difficult evening for the defender. His handball gifted Chelsea their opening goal from the penalty spot, earning him a yellow card. From our perspective, that moment completely changed the early momentum. He was dribbled past twice and was eventually substituted after struggling to contain the fluid Chelsea attack. A performance to forget.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo - 6.5: The captain put in a shift, as he always does. He was solid defensively for the most part, with a high pass completion rate. He even forced a good save from Robert Sánchez with a shot from a tight angle. But like the rest of the defense, he was unable to stop the second-half collapse. A decent individual effort in a losing cause.

Midfielders

Scott McTominay - 6.5: A typical battling performance from Scott McTominay. He drew three fouls and was a physical presence in the midfield, winning five duels. His passing was tidy enough, but he lost possession nine times. We felt he worked hard but couldn't impose himself on the game as much as Napoli needed him to in the second half.

Mathías Olivera - 8.0: What stood out to us was his creative spark. He was Napoli's most dangerous player, providing two assists. His delivery for Rasmus Højlund's goal was superb. He was a constant threat down the left flank and created two big chances. A fantastic attacking display, let down by his team's defensive frailties.

Leonardo Spinazzola - 6.0: He was okay, but not particularly influential. He lost the ball quite a bit, 14 times in total. He completed a tackle and showed some decent touches, but didn't provide the penetration Napoli required. We expected a bit more from him before he was substituted late in the game.

Stanislav Lobotka - 6.0: A quiet game by his standards. He kept the ball moving with high passing accuracy but offered very little in the final third. He only lost possession five times, which shows his tidiness. However, he didn't make a single key pass or create a chance. A steady but ultimately ineffective performance.

Forwards

Rasmus Højlund - 7.5: Took his goal brilliantly, a clinical finish to give Napoli the lead. He worked hard up top, winning four duels and showing some nice dribbling skills. He was a physical handful for the Chelsea defenders. His overall contribution was strong, and he was unlucky to be on the losing side.

Eljif Elmas - 6.5: He linked play nicely at times, boasting a 96% pass accuracy. He created one chance and looked tidy in possession. Picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul. From our perspective, he did his job without ever really grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck before being taken off.

Antonio Vergara - 7.5: A livewire performance. He scored the equalizer with a well-taken strike. He was a nightmare for defenders, winning an incredible 11 duels and drawing five fouls. On the downside, he was a bit wild, committing four fouls and losing possession 16 times. A chaotic but effective display.

Substitutes

Miguel Gutiérrez - 6.0: Came on for the struggling Juan Jesus but couldn't help shore up the defense as Chelsea pushed for the winner.

Romelu Lukaku - 6.0: Had a huge chance in stoppage time to equalize but was denied by a great save. A classic 'what if' moment.

Sam Beukema - N/A: Didn't have enough time to make an impact.

Manager

A. Conte - 5.5: His team showed great fight to take the lead but completely fell apart in the second half. The defensive organization was poor, and his substitutions failed to change the course of the match. He will be furious that his side threw away a winning position at home.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs Napoli

Have a look at the Chelsea Player Ratings from the Napoli vs Chelsea Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Robert Sánchez - 7.0: Conceded two goals, but we can't really fault him for either. He made three crucial saves inside the box, including a massive one late on to deny Lukaku and preserve the win. His distribution was a bit hit-and-miss. That late save was the difference between one point and three.

Defenders

Marc Cucurella - 6.5: A solid and steady performance. His pass accuracy was an excellent 93%, and he was tidy in possession. He made three tackles and was generally reliable on the left side. Didn't offer a huge amount going forward, but he did his defensive duties well enough.

Reece James - 6.5: As captain, he tried to lead by example. He was heavily involved with 92 touches and a high volume of passes. He was defensively sound, making two interceptions and a tackle. However, he didn't have his usual impact in the final third. A responsible but unspectacular game from him.

Malo Gusto - 6.0: Provided a great cross for an early chance that was saved. Looked decent going forward in the first hour. However, he struggled defensively at times and was part of a backline that looked shaky in the first half. He was substituted just before the hour mark.

Wesley Fofana - 6.5: A mixed bag of a performance. He made an impressive five clearances and four interceptions, showing his reading of the game. On the other hand, he was dribbled past twice and picked up a yellow card. He was strong but also showed moments of rashness.

Midfielders

Pedro Neto - 6.0: He created a big chance in the first half but was otherwise fairly quiet. He only played the first 45 minutes and struggled to get into the rhythm of the match. His replacement made a much bigger impact. Not his best night.

Enzo Fernández - 7.5: Cool as you like from the penalty spot to open the scoring. He was the metronome in midfield, with 98 touches and a 93% pass accuracy. Recovered the ball nine times, showing his defensive work rate. A really classy and composed performance from the Argentine.

Andrey Santos - 6.5: Had a great headed chance well saved in the first half. He looked bright and energetic, but his influence waned. He committed four fouls and was eventually substituted. Showed promising signs but lacked consistency throughout his time on the pitch.

Moisés Caicedo - 7.0: A really solid, understated performance. He was incredibly tidy in possession, losing the ball only four times. He recovered the ball nine times and did the dirty work that allowed others to shine. An important cog in the Chelsea machine tonight.

Estêvão - 5.5: A tough night for the youngster. He lost possession 10 times and struggled to make an impact on the game. He looked a little out of his depth against an experienced Napoli side. Substituted after 74 minutes, this was a learning curve for him.

Forwards

João Pedro - 9.0: Absolutely sensational. This was his game. He was a constant menace, winning 10 duels and drawing five fouls. He scored two goals of the highest quality to win the match for his team. The first was a screamer from distance, the second a calm finish to seal the comeback. Without a doubt, the highest-rated player and our man of the match.

Substitutes

Cole Palmer - 7.5: Came on at halftime and changed the game. He provided the assist for João Pedro's equalizer and brought a creative spark that was missing.

Trevoh Chalobah - 6.5: Replaced Malo Gusto and helped solidify the defense in the second half.

Jamie Gittens - N/A: Came on but had to be replaced due to an injury.

Alejandro Garnacho - 6.0: Brought on to add pace and directness, but didn't have many opportunities to run at the defense.

Benoît Badiashile - N/A: An injury replacement late in the game.

Manager

L. Rosenior - 8.0: His team showed incredible character to come from behind. His halftime substitution of Cole Palmer was a masterstroke that completely changed the dynamic of the game. He deserves immense credit for masterminding this impressive comeback victory away from home in the Champions League.

Man of the Match

Joao Pedro has been adjudged as our man of the match from this fixture.

Worst Performer

Juan Jesus was the worst performer in the Napoli vs Chelsea game.