🔗 Share this article

Match Summary

• The Chelsea forward hands Chelsea the advantage in the opening period.
• The Italian outfit the better side after the break and draw level through the striker.
• The Belgian attacker grabs a last-gasp decisive goal for the home side.
• Loss means Chelsea drop to 11th in the league phase of the tournament.
• The top eight progress automatically for the last 16.

Chelsea's hopes of securing a place automatically for the Champions League knockouts were suffered a setback as their Italian opponents came from behind to triumph in their home stadium.

The two teams entered this game with the same points tallies in the initial stage of this year's competition, having secured three victories, drawn, and suffered one defeat to sit on ten points.

For extended periods there was little to distinguish them in this encounter too, although Chelsea took the lead in the opening 45 minutes when the Brazilian finished Reece James' delivery.

But Atalanta always looked a threat going forward, with ex- Premier League attacker Ademola Lookman issues for the defence.

Reece James shot wide in the after the break but the home team upped the pressure and justly equalised when ex-West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca a cross.

The winger drove a powerful shot straight at the keeper but they scored the winner in the closing stages when the Blues defence retreated from the midfielder, who took full advantage with a driven shot.

The visitors tried to rescue a draw late on but a superb save by the Atalanta goalkeeper denied Joao Pedro.

The result means Chelsea slip out of the top eight—the positions that progress automatically for the knockouts—to 11th with two group stage games left to play.

The Bergamo club, in contrast, jump up to third place, three points ahead of the Londoners.

Blues Breakdown - Concerning Form Persists

This was a extremely frustrating outcome for Chelsea as even a draw was leaving them well placed to achieve the top-eight position they need to bypass the lottery of the qualifying play-off round.

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

The Italian side are in good form at the moment so this was always going to be a difficult examination for the visitors, but they will be frustrated to be departing with no points after taking the early advantage.

But the broader context is that this continues Chelsea's worrying streak of form in all competitions.

Since defeating Barcelona 3-0 at the end of November they are now without a win in their last four matches.

Too Many Changes Turning Out to Be Expensive?

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca enacted five alterations for this match as he continued his strategy of moving players in and out of the starting 11.

The rotations here followed after he implemented the identical amount for the defeat to Leeds United and six for the tie with AFC Bournemouth prior to the trip to Bergamo.

The coach will see squad rotation as vital as he tries to handle players' workloads and compete both at domestically and in Europe, but he insisted the central contingent of players remains the same for crucial games.

"I think in this match [in] the starting lineup we had eight or nine players who featured against Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, and the Gunners," he commented.

"If you look at the five alterations that we did relative to the previous game it may be different but it is the same eight or nine players playing in that match.

"The ones who played this evening are the individuals who feature in almost all the matches."

Up Next for These Clubs?

Chelsea's next Champions League fixture sees them host Pafos on the coming Wednesday (8pm GMT).

The Italian team, meanwhile, are at home to Athletic Bilbao at the same time.