Chelsea’s pursuit of a direct route into the Champions League knockout rounds suffered a setback in northern Italy, where Atalanta overturned an early concession to claim all three points.
Both clubs entered the contest level on ten points from identical records, and their meeting reflected that balance for long stretches.
The visitors moved ahead midway through the opening period when Joao Pedro met a low delivery from Reece James and steered it beyond Marco Carnesecchi.
Despite the setback, the home side consistently threatened in forward areas, with Ademola Lookman repeatedly unsettling the Chelsea back line.
James sent a curling effort off target after the restart, but Atalanta grew increasingly assertive. Their pressure earned reward when Gianluca Scamacca – once of West Ham – rose to glance in a pinpoint cross and restore parity.
Alejandro Garnacho later forced a firm stop from the goalkeeper, yet the decisive moment arrived close to full-time. Chelsea retreated instead of engaging Charles de Ketelaere, allowing the Belgian attacker to drill a low finish into the corner.
Pedro almost snatched a draw in stoppage time, only for Carnesecchi to make a superb reflex save.
The loss drops Chelsea to 11th in the league-phase standings, outside the automatic qualification places with two fixtures left, while Atalanta climbs to third and opens a three-point cushion.
Worrying pattern for the blues
The defeat deepened a broader run of underwhelming results across competitions for Enzo Maresca’s squad. A convincing victory over Barcelona at the end of November had suggested momentum, but the side has not tasted success since, enduring four straight matches without a win.
Falling short in Bergamo stings further given that even a single point would have kept Chelsea in a far stronger position heading into the final rounds.
Instead, one lapse in the closing minutes proved costly, allowing the Italians to tilt the evening in their favor.
Atalanta’s recent form meant the encounter was always likely to be a stern examination, yet Chelsea will still feel frustrated after taking the initiative early on. Their inability to maintain control highlighted recurring issues that have surfaced repeatedly during this rough period.
Maresca now faces the task of restoring confidence before the remaining league-phase meetings determine their continental fate.
Rotation raises questions
Maresca again adjusted his starting side, making five alterations from the previous outing, continuing a trend of frequent reshuffling. He had made the same number of switches for the Leeds defeat and six changes prior to the Bournemouth draw.
The manager argues that such rotation is required to manage workloads across domestic and European commitments, maintaining that his core options remain consistent. He noted that most of the players selected in Bergamo had also featured extensively in high-profile matches against Tottenham, Barcelona, and Arsenal.
While that rationale holds from a fitness perspective, the continual turnover has invited scrutiny as results have dipped.
Finding a steady blend may prove essential if Chelsea hopes to avoid the unpredictability of the playoff stage and stabilize performances heading into the decisive stretch of the campaign.
