Napoli 3 Chelsea 1:Chelsea lurched to another defeat to leave them in real danger of crashing out of the Champions League after a gripping first leg at the Stadio San Paolo.
Andre Villas-Boas’ Blues produced more poor defending to throw away yet another lead to deservedly lose their last-16 first leg, with an Ezequiel Lavezzi brace sandwiching a controversial Edinson Cavani goal.
Juan Mata had given Chelsea the lead with what they will be desperately hoping proves a vital away goal.
Chelsea survived two early scares when Petr Cech came racing off his line to thwart an attack moments before Didier Drogba briefly stayed down after a clash of heads.
Both were a prelude for worse to follow in the 10th minute when Cech produced real heroics after Cavani looked certain to convert Lavezzi’s pass, the goalkeeper just getting his foot to the ball.
Injury really did then strike when Jose Bosingwa limped off with what looked like a hamstring pull, with Ashley Cole brought on far earlier than expected after being dropped to the bench.
Cavani was just offside from another defence-splitting ball from Lavezzi, before more brilliance from Cech denied Christian Maggio from a tight angle.
Napoli were looking far from secure at the back themselves and, from nothing, they gifted Chelsea a 27th-minute lead.
Drogba found Daniel Sturridge, whose cross was flicked back towards his own goal by Paolo Cannavaro after the ball took a terrible bobble, falling perfectly for Mata to fire left footed beyond goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis.
Chelsea were briefly down to 10 men again when Mata took a knock from behind while a stunned San Paolo struggled to process what had happened, with the visiting fans finally able to make themselves heard.
Sturridge wasted a glorious opportunity to play in Mata for number two, instead greedily trying to beat his man, while the resultant corner saw David Luiz power a header narrowly over.
Chelsea were in the ascendancy but their latest defensive mistake helped Napoli level seven minutes before half-time, Lavezzi given an age with which to curl a beautiful 25-yard strike beyond Cech.
Ramires should have restored the visitors’ lead when the home side parted in front of him but he blazed over the bar.
Raul Meireles was booked for handball, suspending himself for the second leg, and there was a suspicion of the same as Napoli scored again two minutes into stoppage-time.
Gokhan Inler’s cross reached the far post and Cavani leant his shoulder into the ball to turn it home.
Villas-Boas now had a decision to make, to go for a second away goal or try to settle for a 2-1 defeat.
It was quickly apparent he had opted for the former option, Marek Hamsik forced to clear off his own line and Malouda drilling a volley too close to De Sanctis. But Napoli should have punished another error when Meireles gave Cavani the chance to feed Lavezzi, who dragged the ball wide.
Gary Cahill was booked for clattering into the livewire forward and Mata volleyed another shot straight at De Sanctis before a desperate Salvatore Aronica clearance denied Drogba a possible equaliser.
Napoli were not sitting back either and the latest Luiz howler saw them double their lead in the 65th minute, the defender kicking a long ball straight against Cavani
who squared past the stranded Cech for Lavezzi to steer into an unguarded net.
Villas-Boas responded by bringing on Frank Lampard and Michael Essien for Malouda and Meireles.
Lavezzi was soon withdrawn for Blerim Dzemaili and Branislav Ivanovic was unable to make the most of a goalline scramble.
Napoli almost killed the match
and perhaps the tie
when Cole cleared Maggio’s open-goal effort off the line.
Goran Pandev came on for Hamsik and he too might have made it 4-1 but Drogba went close to giving Chelsea a tie-changing second away goal when he hooked wide.
