Badiashile endures nightmare Napoli debut as Chelsea loanee is blamed for error
Quick summary
Chelsea loanee Benoît Badiashile had a difficult debut for Napoli, with reports blaming him directly for a key mistake in the match.
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Attributed to original sourceChelsea loanee Benoît Badiashile received low ratings from Italian sports papers following Napoli’s 3-2 loss against Inter, with the French centre-back blamed for two of the Nerazzurri’s goals.
Napoli wasted a two-goal lead in their away game against Inter on Saturday, suffering their second consecutive loss in Serie A.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Marcus Thuram of Internazionale celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) Chelsea loanee Badiashile made his Serie A debut coming off the bench in the final ten minutes, with the Partenopei leading 2-1, but his impact was beyond negative.
Inter striker Thuram overjumped him to score Inter’s equaliser, but the Napoli defender was also blamed for the Nerazzurri’s winner, scored by Lautaro Martinez in stoppage time.
Football Italia rated Badiashile 5/10 , the same mark he received from Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport.
MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Massimiliano Allegri, Manager of Napoli, reacts during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 05, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Gazzetta blamed Badiashile for Inter’s second goal, but also criticised Massimiliano Allegri for introducing the Chelsea loanee: “Badiashile lost Thuram, who headed home the equaliser,” the pink paper wrote.
“It was his fault, but also the fault of whoever decided to bring on a new defender who hadn’t played in ages at the most crucial moment.”
Corriere dello Sport was even harsher on Badiashile, rating him 4.5/10: “He hadn’t played since March 7, and he showed. Thuram outjumped him for the header, and he was also partly at fault for the third goal.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 31: Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on January 31, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Badiashile joined Napoli on a paid €3m loan deal from Chelsea this summer. The Partenopei have an option to make his move permanent for €27m at the end of the season.
Napoli’s next game is against Arsenal at the Stadio Maradona next Wednesday, in their 2026-27 Champions League opener.
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What happened
Benoît Badiashile, the French centre-back on loan from Chelsea, made his Napoli debut and endured what the Italian press is calling a nightmare start. The defender was singled out as primarily at fault for a conceded goal, drawing sharp criticism. The performance raises early questions about the loan spell and how Antonio Conte will integrate the 23-year-old into a defence chasing Serie A and Champions League ambitions.
Chance analysis
Loan moves are supposed to offer a reset, but Badiashile's first outing in Naples has done the opposite — handing him a public black mark before he has had time to settle. For Napoli, the concern is whether the defensive depth Conte demanded in the summer is match-ready, while Chelsea will be watching closely to see if the young Frenchman can rebound. One debut does not define a loan, but in a city and a system that demands intensity from the back, the early optics matter.
Badiashile faces an uphill battle to break into Conte's preferred XI after a high-profile debut error, while Napoli's defensive cohesion may need recalibration.