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Match Summary

• Joao Pedro hands Chelsea the lead in the opening period.
• Atalanta the better side after the interval and equalise through the striker.
• Charles de Ketelaere grabs a late decisive goal for the hosts.
• Loss means Chelsea fall to eleventh place in the group stage of the Champions League.
• The leading eight teams qualify automatically for the last 16.

Chelsea's ambitions of qualifying automatically for the European Cup knockouts were dealt a blow as their Italian opponents overturned a deficit to claim victory in Bergamo.

Each club went into this game with identical records in the league phase of this season's competition, having won, drawn, and lost to sit on 10 points.

For large parts there was not much to choose between them in this contest too, although Chelsea took the lead in the opening 45 minutes when Joao Pedro finished the captain's cross.

But The Serie A side always looked a danger going on the attack, with ex- Charlton and Everton attacker Ademola Lookman problems for the backline.

James shot wide in the second half but the home team increased the intensity and deservedly drew level when ex-West Ham striker nodded home a cross.

Alejandro Garnacho hammered a powerful shot straight at the keeper but they got the winner late on when the Chelsea defence backed off Charles de Ketelaere, who made no mistake with a low shot.

Chelsea attempted to salvage a point in stoppage time but a superb stop by Marco Carnesecchi denied Joao Pedro.

The result means Chelsea fall out of the automatic qualification places—the positions that progress automatically for the knockouts—to eleventh with two group stage games remaining.

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

Blues Breakdown - Worrying Run Persists

This was a hugely frustrating result for Chelsea as even a point was keeping them in a strong position to achieve the top-eight position they need to avoid the lottery of the play-offs.

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

The Italians are in fine fettle at the moment so this was always going to be a difficult examination for the visitors, but they will be annoyed to be leaving with no points after taking the lead.

But the bigger picture is that this continues Chelsea's worrying run of results in all tournaments.

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

Excessive Changes Turning Out to Be Costly?

Manager Enzo Enzo Maresca made five alterations for this game as he continued his strategy of rotating players in and out of the first team.

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

Maresca will view rotation as vital as he attempts to manage players' minutes and challenge both at domestically and in Europe, but he stated the key nucleus of players stays the same for key fixtures.

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

"If you see the five changes that we did compared to Bournemouth it may be different but it involves the same eight or nine players who played Barcelona.

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

What Next for These Clubs?

Chelsea's next European game sees them welcome the Cypriot side on Wednesday, 21 January (8pm GMT).

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