Chelsea’s chances of securing automatic qualification for the Champions League knockout stage suffered a setback as Atalanta rallied to claim victory in Bergamo.
Both teams entered this match with the same records in the league stage of this tournament, achieving three wins, one draw, and one loss for a total of 10 points.
For significant stretches, there was not much distinction between them in this match, although Chelsea took the lead in the first half when Joao Pedro directed Reece James’ cross into the net.
However, Atalanta consistently appeared dangerous in attack, as ex-Charlton and Everton forward Ademola Lookman created issues.
James missed the target in the second half, but Atalanta intensified their efforts and rightfully equalized when former West Ham forward Gianluca Scamacca scored with a header from a cross.
Alejandro Garnacho fired a powerful shot directly at the keeper, but Atalanta clinched the win late when the Blues defense retreated, allowing Charles de Ketelaere to capitalize with a powerful shot.
Chelsea attempted to salvage a point in the closing moments, but a brilliant save by Marco Carnesecchi thwarted Pedro.
The outcome indicates Chelsea fell from the top eight—the spots that secure automatic qualification for the knockout stage—to 11th, with two league matches left.
Atalanta, on the other hand, climbs to third place, three points in front of the Blues.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made five changes for this match as he maintained his pattern of rotating players in the starting lineup.
The alterations followed his tally of the same amount for the defeat to Leeds and six for the tie with Bournemouth before the journey to Atalanta.
Maresca views rotation as essential while he attempts to balance players’ workloads and compete both domestically and internationally, yet he emphasized that the core group of players remains constant for important matches.
“I think tonight [in] the first XI we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham, Barcelona, and Arsenal,” he said.
“If you see the five changes that we did compared to Bournemouth, it is different, but it is the eight or nine players playing Barcelona.
“The ones who played tonight are the ones playing almost all the games.”
Chelsea’s upcoming Champions League match will have them facing Pafos at home on Wednesday, 21 January (20:00 GMT).
Atalanta, on the other hand, welcomes Athletic Club simultaneously.
