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Match Summary

• Joao Pedro gives Chelsea the advantage in the first half.
• Atalanta the stronger side after the break and draw level through Gianluca Scamacca.
• The Belgian attacker scores a last-gasp winner for the hosts.
• The defeat means Chelsea drop to eleventh place in the league phase of the tournament.
• The top eight qualify automatically for the knockouts.

The London club's chances of securing a place automatically for the European Cup knockouts were suffered a setback as Atalanta overturned a deficit to claim victory in Bergamo.

The two teams entered this fixture with identical points tallies in the league phase of this year's tournament, having won, tied one, and lost to have accrued ten points.

For extended periods there was very little to separate them in this encounter too, even though Chelsea went ahead in the opening 45 minutes when the Brazilian converted the captain's delivery.

But Atalanta remained a threat going on the attack, with ex- Premier League attacker Ademola Lookman problems for the backline.

James fired wide in the after the break but the home team increased the pressure and rightfully drew level when former West Ham United striker nodded home a centering pass.

Alejandro Garnacho drove a strong effort straight at the goalkeeper but they secured the winning goal late on when the Chelsea defence backed off the midfielder, who took full advantage with a low shot.

The visitors tried to rescue a point in stoppage time but a superb save by Marco Carnesecchi denied Joao Pedro.

The final score means Chelsea drop out of the top eight—the positions that progress automatically for the next round—to 11th with two league phase matches left to play.

Atalanta, in contrast, jump up to third, three points ahead of the Londoners.

Chelsea Analysis - Concerning Form Persists

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

But they lacked concentration in defence with seven minutes remaining and their opponents seized the moment.

The Italians are in fine fettle at the moment so this was always going to be a tough test for the visitors, but they will be disappointed to be leaving with nothing after securing the early advantage.

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

Since defeating the Spanish giants 3-0 at the end of November they are now winless in their last four outings.

Excessive Changes Turning Out to Be Expensive?

Chelsea boss Maresca made five alterations for this game as he continued his policy of rotating players in and out of the starting 11.

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

Maresca will see rotation as essential as he tries to manage players' workloads and challenge both at home and abroad, but he insisted the key nucleus of players remains the unchanged for key games.

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

"If you see the five alterations that we made compared to Bournemouth it may be a change but it is the eight or nine players playing in that match.

"The players who took to the field tonight are the ones playing almost all the matches."

Up Next for These Sides?

Chelsea's next European game sees them host Pafos on Wednesday, 21 January (8pm GMT).

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