🔗 Share this article

Match Summary

• The Chelsea forward gives Chelsea the lead in the opening period.
• Atalanta the better side after the interval and equalise through the striker.
• Charles de Ketelaere scores a late winner for the hosts.
• Loss means Chelsea fall to 11th in the league phase of the Champions League.
• The leading eight teams progress automatically for the knockout phase.

Chelsea's hopes of qualifying automatically for the European Cup knockouts were hit hard as their Italian opponents fought back to win in Bergamo.

Both sides entered this match with matching records in the initial stage of this year's tournament, having secured three victories, tied one, and suffered one defeat to sit on 10 points.

For much of the game there was very little to distinguish them in this encounter too, even though Chelsea got their noses in front in the opening 45 minutes when the Brazilian finished Reece James' delivery.

But Atalanta remained a threat going forwards, with ex- Charlton and Everton attacker Ademola Lookman problems for the backline.

Reece James shot wide in the second half but the home team upped the intensity and deservedly equalised when former West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca a centering pass.

Alejandro Garnacho hammered a strong effort straight at the goalkeeper but they got the decisive strike late on when the Chelsea defenders retreated from Charles de Ketelaere, who seized the opportunity with a driven shot.

Chelsea tried to rescue a draw late on but a brilliant save by Marco Carnesecchi kept out Pedro.

The final score means Chelsea slip out of the automatic qualification places—the spots that progress automatically for the next round—to 11th with two league phase games left to play.

The Bergamo club, in contrast, leap up to third, three points clear of the Blues.

Blues Breakdown - Worrying Form Persists

This was a hugely disappointing result for Chelsea as even a draw was leaving them in a strong position to achieve the top eight position they need to avoid the uncertainty of the play-offs.

But they lost focus in defence with seven minutes left on the clock and their opponents capitalised completely.

The Italian side are in fine fettle at the moment so this was always going to be a difficult test for the visitors, but they will be annoyed to be departing with no points after taking the lead.

But the bigger picture is that this perpetuates Chelsea's concerning streak of results in all tournaments.

Since beating Barcelona 3-0 at the close of November they are now without a win in their last four outings.

Too Many Rotations Proving Expensive?

Manager Enzo Maresca enacted five alterations for this game as he continued his run of moving players in and out of the starting 11.

The changes here came after he implemented the same number for the loss to Leeds United and six for the draw with AFC Bournemouth prior to the trip to Atalanta.

Maresca will see squad rotation as essential as he tries to manage players' workloads and challenge both at domestically and abroad, but he stated the core group of players remains the same for key fixtures.

"I think in this match [in] the first XI we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham, FC Barcelona, and the Gunners," he stated.

"If you see the five changes that we did relative to Bournemouth it is a change but it is the same eight or nine players who played in that match.

"The players who took to the field this evening are the individuals playing almost all the matches."

Up Next for These Teams?

The Blues' next European game sees them welcome Pafos on the coming Wednesday (20:00 GMT).

Atalanta, on the other hand, host Athletic Club at the same time.