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Match Summary

• The Chelsea forward gives Chelsea the lead in the opening period.
• Atalanta the stronger side after the interval and equalise through Gianluca Scamacca.
• The Belgian attacker scores a last-gasp winner for the hosts.
• Loss means Chelsea drop to 11th in the group stage of the Champions League.
• The top eight progress automatically for the last 16.

Chelsea's ambitions of securing a place automatically for the European Cup knockouts were dealt a blow as Atalanta overturned a deficit to claim victory in their home stadium.

Both sides entered this game with matching records in the league phase of this year's tournament, having secured three victories, drawn, and suffered one defeat to have accrued 10 points.

For large parts there was little to separate them in this encounter too, even though Chelsea went ahead in the opening 45 minutes when Joao Pedro finished Reece James' delivery.

But The Serie A side always looked a danger going on the attack, with former Charlton and Everton attacker creating issues for the defence.

James fired wide in the after the break but Atalanta increased the pressure and rightfully drew level when former West Ham United striker headed in a cross.

Alejandro Garnacho drove a strong effort straight at the keeper but Atalanta scored the winner late on when the Blues defence backed off Charles de Ketelaere, who seized the opportunity with a powerful finish.

The visitors attempted to salvage a draw late on but a brilliant stop by Marco Carnesecchi kept out Joao Pedro.

The result means Chelsea fall out of the top eight—the spots that progress automatically for the next round—to eleventh with two league phase games left to play.

The Bergamo club, meanwhile, climb up to third, three points ahead of the Blues.

Chelsea Analysis - Concerning Sequence Continues

This was a deeply disappointing result for Chelsea as even a draw was keeping them well placed to achieve the top-eight finish 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 seized the moment.

The Italian side are in rich vein of form at the moment so this was always going to be a difficult test for the Blues, but they will be annoyed to be departing with nothing after taking the lead.

But the wider issue is that this continues Chelsea's troubling run of results in all competitions.

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

Excessive Changes Proving Costly?

Chelsea boss Maresca made five changes for this match as he persisted with his strategy of rotating players in and out of the first team.

The changes here followed after he made the same number for the loss to Leeds and six for the tie with AFC Bournemouth prior to the trip to Bergamo.

Maresca will see squad rotation as necessary as he tries to manage players' fitness and compete both at domestically and abroad, but he insisted the key nucleus of players stays the same for crucial games.

"I believe in this match [in] the starting lineup we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham, FC Barcelona, and Arsenal," he said.

"If you look at the five changes that we did relative to the previous game it may be different but it involves the same eight or nine players who played Barcelona.

"The players who took to the field this evening are the ones who feature in almost all the matches."

Up Next for These Sides?

Chelsea's next Champions League fixture sees them welcome Pafos on Wednesday, 21 January (8pm GMT).

The Italian team, on the other hand, are at home to Athletic Bilbao at the identical kick-off time.