Ciao! And welcome to the San Paulo Stadiu…. well no, not quite. I’m in the office while the rest of the team head on a night. Not that I don’t want to spend the evening with you guys. Don’t get me wrong.

So let’s get down to business. It’s been a long day in Naples already. We’re told the ultras have been in the grounds since 3pm today while Andre Villas Boas reportedly left a team-sheet lying around the team hotel which Gazzetta dello Sport published.

It turns out to be incorrect regardless.

Ashley Cole joined John Terry in failing to make the starting XI. Terry was ruled out for several weeks after aggravating a knee problem, while Cole (calf) was not risked, meaning Jose Bosingwa started at left-back. Dodgy.

In big news though Florent Malouda is in instead of Frank Lampard, and Torres is out for Didier Drogba, as expected. What do you make of that?

AVB is talking to a euphemism-keen Geoff Shreeves: “Interesting team selection, Andre?”

Villas Boas seems relaxed though. That’s my analysis. He says his strategy is to win the game (duh) and nothing will be resolved in Naples. Isn’t that a Dean Martin song?

So for the record, here are your teams.

Napoli: De Sanctis, Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Aronica, Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Zuniga, Hamsik, Lavezzi, Cavani.

Subs: Rosati, Grava, Dossena, Dzemaili, Fernandez, Pandev, Britos.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Bosingwa, Ramires, Meireles, Malouda, Sturridge, Drogba, Mata.

Subs: Turnbull, Cole, Essien, Lampard, Torres, Mikel, Kalou.

Those of us lucky to have seen Cavani at Lansdowne Road last season will know we could be in for a treat tonight. Sky’s panel of Redknapp and Souness reckon that Villas Boas has picked that team to make a point to players like Frank Lampard. What do you reckon?

The teams are in the tunnel and ready to emerge. Expect a real sight when they come out at a packed Stadio San Paulo. In the meantime, let’s have your predictions.

We’re up and running and it was Chelsea who had the first run at the sud curva. Ivanovic won the ball well, he fed Daniel Sturridge and his long ball almost made it over the top for Mata. It came back out to Bosingwa who seemed reluctant to use his left leg; when he showed why –  floating a cross feebly into the keeper’s hands.  Down the other end, Lavezzi barrels through on Cech’s goal, but the Chelsea No 1 parries it away from the edge of his box. The noise seems cranked up to 11.

Al Pacino was in Dublin last night and Martin Tyler just said ‘hoo-ha’. He must have been watching Scent of a Woman on the flight from Heathrow.

As I type/waffle, Cavani got in around the back of a static Gary Cahill and should really have scored; Cech saved with his foot at the near post. In the meantime, the perceived Jose Bosingwa has seemingly pulled his hamstring and will be replaced by Ashley Cole, who is not 100% fit according to his manager.  Gary Neville insists the injury and subsequent replacement will strengthen the visitors however.

Lavezzi and Cavani are looking every inch the top, top players* they are tonight. The former just played in the latter once again, Cavani then took it around Cech but was ruled, correctly, to be offside. We’re 15 minutes in and Napoli are well on top.

*™ Mr J Redknapp

Cech is forced into another great save when Ashley Cole was caught around the back. The Chelsea back four really does look like they’ve met on the flight over for the first time. Earlier, Chelsea had a half chance of their own when Napoli goalkeeper De Sanctis clattered into his own defender Campagnaro, causing some confusion. They eventually hack it away however.

GOAL! Napoli 0 Chelsea 1 (Juan Mata 27′)

So the Blues smash and grand an away goal, against the run of play. Cannavaro made the crucial mistake in the centre of defence, leaving the ball bounce off his shin and over his head when Mata had nipped in behind to side foot home. Let’s see how Napoli react now.

David Luiz almost doubled Chelsea’s lead and it all came from a corner, which Daniel Sturridge won when he galloped through and went alone rather than square for Mata in the centre. When the Spaniard took the set piece himself, Luiz shrugged off Cannavaro and got his head to the ball but he couldn’t keep it down.

GOAL! Napoli 1 Chelsea 1 (Lavezzi 38′)

The crowd have found the voice again and AVB has buckled his trenchcoat belt a notch tighter on the sideline. Raul Meireles has been booked for a challenge and will miss the second leg but if you agree with Gary Neville, he’s to blame for the equaliser anyway. He turned his back on Lavezzi and the forward’s free shot flew past Cech at the far post.

GOAL! Napoli 2 Chelsea 1 (Cavani 45+2)

We were into first-half, stoppage time when Napoli swung in an inviting ball across Cech’s goal. Cahill and particularly Ivanovic were caught underneath it and Cavani – who else – made the run behind to chest it in from five yards out. As I type, the whistle’s gone and Chelsea are left scratching their heads. Get the kettle on and meet us back here in five.

We’re up and running again. Plenty of you in the comments section below fancy more goals for the home side. Anyone fancy a famous Chelsea fightback?

Gary Neville is freaked out his Mancunian mind – to use a technical term – by how open this game is. They’re up and down the pitch ‘like a basketball game’ and you suspect there’ll be a few more attempts on goal, if nothing else. Mata has just driven a shot at the keeper rather than roll it in for Sturridge. They don’t seem to like working together, do they?

As I write, Lavezzi goes through one-on-one with Cech but drags it wide. He should have scored.

GOAL! Napoli 3 Chelsea 1 (Lavezzi 66′)

What a shambles this Chelsea back four are. A speculative ball forward is not dealt with Luiz. He lets Cavani in to square for the late-arrival of Lavezzi and the little Argentine tucks it away. There’s still 20-odd minutes left and it’s wide open.  By the way, we’ve been dealing with some technical issues (someone fed the Gremlins again) but should be fine now.

Essien and Frank Lampard Jr are coming on for Meireles and Malouda.

Good news for Chelsea? Lavezzi has pulled on a jacket and is sitting on the bench. He won’t score a hat-trick tonight. There’s 15 minutes to go and if Chelsea can nick one, this tie will be very much alive.

OFF THE LINE! Ashley Cole digs it off the line after some lovely work from Cavani and Hamsik who then found Maggio. He shot at the England full back however. Goran Pandev is on for Hamsik subsequently.  I like Gary Neville and think he’s been great since joining Sky Sports, but he keeps dissing Napoli here, insisting they’re a two-/three-man team and the likes of Man City would hammer them. Have we not been there in the group stages already, Gaz?

So that’s it. Napoli win out after a chaotic, brilliant 90 minutes. AVB looks, like Procol Harlem sang, a whiter shade of pale as he trudges off to the tunnel.

What did you make of that?

So that’s your lot. Chelsea return to London from Italy a little less bruised than Arsenal last week, but still fairly beat-up. Thanks for your company, keep the comments coming.