Italian

The result in Naples could prove to be of great importance for Rosenior whose appointment in place of Enzo Maresca was hardly greeted with open arms.

Rosenior’s lack of elite experience – having moved from sister club Strasbourg after stints with Derby County and Hull City in the Championship – saw him labelled by some as a ‘yes man’.

He also experienced the wrath of the fans who voiced anti-ownership chants questioning the ambition of the BlueCo.

Rosenior has been adamant from the start that his reply must be through results.

And he has put together an impressive set of results in his first weeks with five wins in six matches and the latest over a former Chelsea favourite should win him the confidence of more supporters.

“These players lost a manager that they really respected for reasons that are beyond my control or knowledge,” Rosenior told TNT Sports.

“So when you go through that as a young group, to accept a new manager the way they have done and for them to work as hard as they have done is a credit to them.

“It’s not about me or my ego or trying to prove anything. I’m trying to do the very best I can with my group, with my staff and hopefully we can have more and more really good nights like this.”

Rosenior’s introduction of Cole Palmer at half-time provided assisted both of Joao Pedro’s goals while Trevoh Chalobah added defensive solidity after coming on later in the half as the Blues restricted Napoli to a single shot on target after the break.

The Chelsea manager added: “I’m learning all the time about my team, about what we’re capable of.

“I really wanted to be front-footed today. I wanted to go out and win the game.”

His impetus was rewarded with a win that helps Chelsea avoid adding a two-legged play-off to their already busy schedule.

“It’s massive – that is huge for us to be able to be able to work with the players on the training round,” Rosenior said.

Bigger challenges await Rosenior and his young squad as they enter the business end of the competition but the London-born coach is optimistic.

“You have to enjoy this job,” he said.

“We’re the luckiest people in the world to do this job. You have to enjoy these moments, but we want more.

“You’re in the Champions League, so at the end of the day you have to play against the best and beat the best.”

I’VE been waiting ten years for this moment.

Ever since my first gondola ride — a short jaunt around The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas — I’ve wanted to experience the real thing, in Venice.

Now I am with a group of fellow journalists, so it’s not as romantic as it could be, but two Italians in stripy shirts and wide-brimmed hats are rowing me across the Floating City. Bucket list: tick.

Venice is a place you need to see at least once in your life.

From the breathtaking Piazza San Marco to the mesmerising mosaics of St Mark’s Basilica, astounding architecture of the Doge’s Palace and view from the 323ft high Campanile di San Marco bell tower, your phone’s battery will pay the price as you snap the spectacular sights.

From this Saturday to February 17 the historic Venice Carnival will burst on to the streets — this year’s theme is Olympus, The Origins Of The Game, in honour of the Winter Olympics being hosted in Milan and Cortina.

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Expect masks and dressing up everywhere as locals and visitors embrace the festival, plus parades, performances and themed shows.

Festival aside, winter and spring are brilliant times to explore the city without the crowds.

A tour of the bacari, or wine bars, is a great way to delve into the alleys between the canals and waterways. Over three hours we stop at four wine bars for cicchetti — Italian tapas — washed down with local wines or spritz cocktails.

The latter feature Aperol, Campari or, in Venetian style, Select — a spirit made using juniper berries.

A Bellini in Harry’s bar, though almost £20, is a must — this was Ernest Hemingway’s favourite bar, where the cocktail was invented.

Hawaiian rituals

Then a 25-minute water-taxi ride across the lagoon and a 20-minute cab journey take us to our 5H resort, Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa on the Lido di Jesolo — a purpose-built seaside resort on Italy’s Adriatic coast, with nine-mile sandy beach and vibrant promenade.

I’m staying in one of 50 huge suites, which have one, two and three-bedroom options, with separate bathrooms, living and kitchen areas, TVs and sea-view balconies.

The smell from the ground-floor restaurant is oh, so Italian — pizza, pasta and risotto. With buffet breakfasts and Michelin-starred dinners at the poolside restaurant, luckily I can run along the promenade to work it off.

Or there’s a gym at the hotel, and yoga and fitness classes. But I’m on holiday to relax, so it’s off to the Acqua Pura spa, which has a panoramic sauna with privacy glass, meaning I can take in the sea view.

An hour-long massage inspired by Hawaiian rituals, which starts with meditation, is, and I don’t say this lightly, the best I’ve ever had.

There is a babysitting service, plus a play room, kids’ pool area and playground on the beach.

Bicycles are available at the hotel, and cycle lanes throughout the town lead us to Europe’s longest shopping street, the Via Bafile — all eight miles of it.

This is a wonderfully relaxing beachside break in a traditional Italian town — as well as a bucket-list trip to the city of romance.

What’s not to love?