Atalanta Comeback Defeats Chelsea, Jeopardizes Champions League Knockout Spot

Atalanta Comeback Defeats Chelsea, Jeopardizes Champions League Knockout Spot

Chelsea suffered a setback in their Champions League campaign as Atalanta mounted a late comeback to secure a 2-1 victory in Bergamo, denting the Blues’ hopes of automatic qualification for the knockout stage.

Both teams entered the match level on 10 points in the group stage, each with three wins, one draw, and one loss. Chelsea initially took the lead when Joao Pedro converted a cross from Reece James in the first half.

However, Atalanta proved persistent in attack, with former Charlton and Everton forward Ademola Lookman creating several chances. Chelsea’s Reece James missed a key opportunity in the second half, and the hosts equalized through a header by former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca.

The decisive moment came late in the match when Charles de Ketelaere capitalized on defensive lapses to score the winner. Chelsea’s attempts to salvage a point, including a strong effort from Pedro, were denied by a superb save from Marco Carnesecchi.

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The defeat pushes Chelsea down to 11th place in the group standings, outside the automatic Champions League knockout stage spots, with two league matches remaining. Atalanta climbs to third, three points ahead of the Blues.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made five changes to the starting lineup, continuing his strategy of player rotation to manage workloads across domestic and international competitions. He emphasized that the core group remains consistent for important matches. “Tonight, we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham, Barcelona, and Arsenal,” Maresca said.

Chelsea will host Pafos in their next Champions League match on Wednesday, January 21 (20:00 GMT), while Atalanta welcomes Athletic Club simultaneously.

This result highlights Chelsea’s struggle to maintain consistency in Europe, leaving the club under pressure to secure victories in the final two group-stage matches.

Atalanta Comeback Defeats Chelsea, Jeopardizes Champions League Knockout Spot