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Key Moments

• Joao Pedro gives Chelsea the lead in the first half.
• The Italian outfit the better side after the interval and draw level through Gianluca Scamacca.
• Charles de Ketelaere grabs a last-gasp winner for the hosts.
• The defeat means Chelsea slide to eleventh place in the league phase of the Champions League.
• The top eight progress automatically for the last 16.

The London club's ambitions of qualifying automatically for the European Cup knockouts were hit hard as Atalanta came from behind to triumph in Bergamo.

Both sides entered this game with matching records in the league phase of this year's tournament, having won, drawn, and suffered one defeat to have accrued ten points.

For large parts there was not much to choose between them in this contest too, although Chelsea went ahead in the opening 45 minutes when Joao Pedro finished Reece James' cross.

But Atalanta always looked a threat going forward, with ex- Premier League attacker causing problems for the backline.

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

The winger drove a powerful shot straight at the keeper but they secured the winner late on when the Blues defence backed off the midfielder, who made no mistake with a driven finish.

Chelsea tried to salvage a point in stoppage time but a brilliant stop by Marco Carnesecchi kept out Pedro.

The final score means Chelsea slip out of the top eight—the spots that progress automatically for the next round—to eleventh with two group stage games left to play.

The Bergamo club, in contrast, climb up to third place, three points clear of the Londoners.

Blues Breakdown - Concerning Run Persists

This was a deeply disappointing result for Chelsea as even a draw was keeping them well placed to secure the top eight finish they need to avoid the uncertainty of the qualifying play-off round.

But they let their concentration slip in defence with seven minutes remaining and Atalanta took full advantage.

The Italian side are in fine fettle at the moment so this was always going to be a tough test for the visitors, but they will be frustrated to be leaving with nothing after taking the lead.

But the wider issue is that this perpetuates Chelsea's troubling streak of form in all tournaments.

Since defeating the Spanish giants 3-0 at the close of November they are now without a win in their last four games.

Excessive Rotations Proving Costly?

Chelsea boss Maresca made five changes for this match as he continued his strategy of rotating players in and out of the starting 11.

The changes here came after he implemented the identical amount for the loss to Leeds and six for the tie with Bournemouth prior to the trip to Bergamo.

Maresca will see squad rotation as vital as he tries to handle players' fitness and challenge both at home and abroad, but he insisted the core group of players remains the unchanged for crucial games.

"I believe in this match [in] the first XI 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 made relative to Bournemouth it is a change but it is the eight or nine players who played Barcelona.

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

What's Next for These Clubs?

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

Atalanta, on the other hand, are at home to Athletic Club at the same time.