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Match Summary

• Joao Pedro gives Chelsea the lead in the opening period.
• Atalanta the stronger side after the interval and draw level through the striker.
• The Belgian attacker nets a late winner for the hosts.
• Loss means Chelsea fall to eleventh place in the league phase of the tournament.
• The leading eight teams qualify automatically for the knockout phase.

The London club's hopes of securing a place automatically for the European Cup knockouts were dealt a blow as their Italian opponents came from behind to claim victory in Bergamo.

Each club entered this fixture with identical records in the initial stage of this year's competition, having secured three victories, drawn, and lost to sit on ten points.

For much of the game there was very little to distinguish them in this contest too, although Chelsea went ahead in the first half when Joao Pedro converted Reece James' delivery.

But The Serie A side remained a danger going forward, with former Premier League attacker causing problems for the backline.

Reece James shot wide in the second half but Atalanta raised the intensity and rightfully equalised when former West Ham United striker headed in a centering pass.

Alejandro Garnacho drove a strong effort straight at the keeper but they scored the winning goal late on when the Chelsea defence backed off Charles de Ketelaere, who took full advantage with a low strike.

The visitors tried to salvage a point in stoppage time but a excellent save by Marco Carnesecchi denied Joao Pedro.

The result means Chelsea drop out of the top eight—the positions that progress automatically for the knockouts—to 11th with two league phase matches left to play.

Atalanta, in contrast, climb up to third place, three points ahead of the Londoners.

Blues Breakdown - Concerning Sequence Persists

This was a extremely frustrating result for Chelsea as even a draw was leaving 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 their opponents capitalised completely.

The Italian side are in good form at the moment so this was always going to be a tough test for the visitors, but they will be frustrated to be departing with nothing after securing the lead.

But the wider issue is that this continues Chelsea's worrying streak of results in all tournaments.

Since beating the Spanish giants 3-0 at the end of November they are now winless in their last four outings.

Too Many Changes Turning Out to Be Expensive?

Chelsea boss Maresca enacted five rotations for this match as he persisted with his run of rotating players in and out of the first team.

The changes here followed after he implemented the same number for the loss to Leeds United and six for the tie with AFC Bournemouth prior to the trip to Bergamo.

The coach will see squad rotation as vital as he tries to handle players' workloads and compete both at domestically and in Europe, but he insisted the central contingent of players remains the same for key games.

"I believe tonight [in] the first XI we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, and Arsenal," he commented.

"If you look at the five alterations that we made relative to Bournemouth it is a change but it is the same eight or nine players who played in that match.

"The ones who took to the field tonight are the ones playing almost all the matches."

What's Next for These Sides?

The Blues' next Champions League game sees them welcome Pafos on Wednesday, 21 January (8pm GMT).

Atalanta, on the other hand, host Athletic Club at the same time.