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Match Summary

• The Chelsea forward gives Chelsea the lead in the first half.
• The Italian outfit the stronger side after the interval and draw level through the striker.
• The Belgian attacker grabs a last-gasp winner for the hosts.
• The defeat means Chelsea drop to 11th in the group stage of the Champions League.
• The leading eight teams qualify automatically for the knockouts.

The London club's hopes of qualifying automatically for the Champions League knockouts were suffered a setback as Atalanta overturned a deficit to win in their home stadium.

Both sides went into this match with the same records in the league phase of this year's tournament, having secured three victories, tied one, and lost to be on ten points.

For extended periods there was not much to separate them in this contest too, even though Chelsea went ahead in the opening 45 minutes when the Brazilian turned in the captain's delivery.

But The Serie A side remained a danger going forward, with former Charlton and Everton attacker Ademola Lookman issues for the defence.

Reece James fired wide in the after the break but Atalanta increased the intensity and rightfully levelled when ex-West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca a centering pass.

Alejandro Garnacho drove a powerful shot straight at the keeper but Atalanta secured the winner late on when the Blues defenders backed off the midfielder, who made no mistake with a low shot.

The visitors tried to rescue a draw in stoppage time but a brilliant stop by Marco Carnesecchi kept out Joao Pedro.

The outcome means Chelsea slip out of the top eight—the spots that progress automatically for the knockouts—to eleventh with two league phase matches remaining.

Atalanta, meanwhile, climb up to third, three points ahead of the Londoners.

Blues Breakdown - Worrying Run Continues

This was a extremely frustrating outcome for Chelsea as even a point was leaving them well placed to secure the top-eight finish they require to avoid the lottery of the qualifying play-off round.

But they let their concentration slip in their defensive duties with seven minutes left on the clock and their opponents capitalised completely.

The Italian side are in fine fettle at the moment so this was always going to be a difficult examination for the visitors, but they will be frustrated to be leaving with no points after securing the early advantage.

But the broader context is that this extends Chelsea's troubling sequence of form in all tournaments.

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

Excessive Changes Turning Out to Be Costly?

Manager Enzo Maresca enacted five alterations for this match as he continued his policy of moving players in and out of the starting lineup.

The changes here followed after he implemented 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' fitness and challenge both at domestically and abroad, but he maintained the key nucleus of players remains the unchanged for crucial fixtures.

"I believe tonight [in] the starting lineup we had eight or nine players who featured against Tottenham, Barcelona, and the Gunners," he stated.

"If you look at the five alterations that we made relative to the previous game it is different but it involves the eight or nine players who played in that match.

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

Up Next for These Teams?

The Blues' next European game sees them welcome Pafos on the coming Wednesday (8pm GMT).

Atalanta, meanwhile, are at home to Athletic Bilbao at the same time.