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Match Summary

• The Chelsea forward hands Chelsea the lead in the first half.
• Atalanta the stronger side after the interval and draw level through Gianluca Scamacca.
• Charles de Ketelaere grabs a late decisive goal for the hosts.
• The defeat means Chelsea fall to eleventh place in the group stage of the Champions League.
• The leading eight teams progress automatically for the last 16.

Chelsea's ambitions of qualifying automatically for the European Cup knockouts were dealt a blow as Atalanta came from behind to win in their home stadium.

Both sides went into this match with matching points tallies in the league phase of this season's competition, having won, drawn, and lost to sit on 10 points.

For extended periods there was not much to choose between them in this encounter too, although Chelsea took the lead in the first half when the Brazilian turned in the captain's cross.

But Atalanta remained a danger going forwards, with former Premier League attacker creating issues for the defence.

James shot wide in the second half but Atalanta raised the intensity and deservedly equalised when ex-West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca a centering pass.

Alejandro Garnacho hammered a powerful shot straight at the keeper but Atalanta got the decisive strike late on when the Blues defenders backed off Charles de Ketelaere, who took full advantage with a powerful shot.

The visitors attempted to rescue a point in stoppage time but a brilliant save by the Atalanta goalkeeper denied Pedro.

The result means Chelsea slip out of the automatic qualification places—the spots that progress automatically for the next round—to 11th with two group stage matches remaining.

Atalanta, meanwhile, leap up to third place, three points clear of the Blues.

Blues Breakdown - Concerning Sequence Continues

This was a deeply frustrating result for Chelsea as even a draw was keeping them well placed to achieve the top-eight position they need to bypass the lottery of the play-offs.

But they lacked concentration in their defensive duties with seven minutes remaining and Atalanta seized the moment.

The Italians are in good form at the moment so this was always going to be a difficult test for the Blues, but they will be frustrated to be leaving with no points after securing the lead.

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

Since beating Barcelona 3-0 at the close of November they are now winless in their last four outings.

Excessive Changes Proving Expensive?

Manager Enzo Enzo Maresca enacted five changes for this game as he persisted with his strategy of rotating players in and out of the starting 11.

The rotations here followed after he implemented the same number for the loss to Leeds and six for the tie with Bournemouth prior to the journey to Bergamo.

Maresca will view squad rotation as vital as he tries to handle players' minutes and compete both at domestically and abroad, but he stated the core group of players remains the same for crucial games.

"I think tonight [in] the first XI we had eight or nine players who featured against Tottenham, FC Barcelona, and Arsenal," he said.

"If you see the five alterations that we made relative to the previous game it is a change but it is the eight or nine players who played Barcelona.

"The ones who played tonight are the individuals playing almost all the matches."

What Next for These Clubs?

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

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