Napoli vs. Chelsea: Complete Preview, Live Stream, Start Time and More

A struggling Chelsea side will face another difficult test when they travel to Italy to face off with Napoli in Champions League Round of 16 play on Tuesday.

As is always the case with the first leg, both sides will be looking to avoid a disaster like Arsenal suffered against AC Milan.

The Partenopei haven't lived up to their usually high standards during the first half of the Serie A season. They currently sit in seventh place, 13 points out of the top spot. One advantage they do have is playing at home, where they have lost just twice in 12 league matches.

Things haven't been going smoothly for the Blues, either. They have only picked up two points in their last three matches, including just one for a draw after leading Manchester United 3-0 in the second half. The team's struggles have led to a lot of heat on boss Andre Villas-Boas.

Where: Stadio San Paolo in Naples, Italy

When: Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 2:45 p.m. ET

Watch: Fox Soccer Channel and FoxSoccer.tv

Betting Odds: Napoli +150, Chelsea +175, Draw +215

Player to Watch for Napoli: Edinson Cavani

Cavani is one of the most dangerous strikers in all of Serie A because he's willing to unleash a rocket from just about anywhere inside the attacking third. That means Petr Cech will have to be on his toes for all 90 minutes to ensure he doesn't get caught off-guard.

The constant criticism of Cavani has always been that his distribution skills are not on par with his finishing ability. While that's certainly true, whenever a team has somebody with the skill to score goals at the rate he has over the past couple years, they shouldn't try to force him to pass more.

Chelsea's back line, which has been exposed over the past few weeks, will have to be much more disciplined in order to slow him down.

Player to Watch for Chelsea: Juan Mata

The Blues are most effective on the attack when Mata is heavily involved. He's the best playmaker on the squad, but often gets lost in the shuffle and goes silent for extended periods. That can't happen on Tuesday if they are going to pick up at least one point on the road.

It's important that Mata gets several touches early to get into the game right away. If he's able to establish possession, the Blues' chances increase dramatically. Too often recently they have allowed the opponent to take control early, and the poor results speak for themselves.

Napoli should know how important Mata is through scouting the Blues prior to the matchup, so look for a lot of physical play early in an attempt to get him to check out mentally.

Key Matchup: Walter Mazzarri vs. Andre Villas-Boas

Whenever there's a clash expected to be as close as this one, it usually comes down to which manager has his team better prepared and pulls the right strings in the second half. Mazzarri has proven good at those skills during his rapid rise as a manager.

Villas-Boas definitely needs a good showing from his squad to earn a little breathing room. Fans have grown frustrated with Chelsea's lackluster outings, and the manager is always the first guy to receive blame. It's yet to be seen if he can handle the immense pressure.

What They're Saying

Cavani has a message for the Blues in case they were overlooking Napoli ahead of Tuesday's hyped match, according to a report from Luis Mira of Goal.com:

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Ahead of the last-16 tie against Chelsea, Cavani warned the Blues that Napoli is a force to be reckoned with.

"We have already sent out a message to the world: we can defeat anyone," Cavani told Mediaset Premium.

"Chelsea must be careful with us."

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Chelsea striker Fernando Torres admitted that he needs to start playing better, which is what everybody on the outside has been thinking for a long time now (via ESPN):

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"Personally, I have to improve. In my time at Liverpool there were games where I would not be playing well or I would be doing nothing but every time I touched the ball, I scored. It's such a strange feeling now because I am feeling better than ever physically. I am not finding the chances and when I do find the chances, I cannot score.”

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Prediction

Napoli 1, Chelsea 1