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Match Summary

• Joao Pedro gives Chelsea the lead in the opening period.
• Atalanta the better side after the break and equalise through the striker.
• The Belgian attacker scores a last-gasp decisive goal for the home side.
• Loss means Chelsea fall to eleventh place in the league phase of the Champions League.
• The leading eight teams qualify automatically for the last 16.

Chelsea's hopes of qualifying automatically for the Champions League knockouts were dealt a blow as their Italian opponents overturned a deficit to win in their home stadium.

Each club entered this game with matching records in the league phase of this year's tournament, having won, drawn, and lost to have accrued ten points.

For extended periods there was not much to choose between them in this encounter too, even though Chelsea got their noses in front in the first half when Joao Pedro turned in Reece James' delivery.

But The Serie A side consistently appeared a threat going forwards, with former Charlton and Everton attacker causing issues for the defence.

Reece James shot wide in the after the break but Atalanta increased the pressure and deservedly levelled when ex-West Ham striker nodded home a centering pass.

Alejandro Garnacho drove a powerful shot straight at the goalkeeper but they got the decisive strike late on when the Chelsea defenders backed off the midfielder, who made no mistake with a powerful shot.

Chelsea attempted to salvage a point late on but a excellent save by the Atalanta goalkeeper kept out Pedro.

The result means Chelsea slip out of the automatic qualification places—the positions that progress automatically for the next round—to eleventh with two league phase matches remaining.

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

Chelsea Analysis - Worrying Run Persists

This was a extremely frustrating outcome for Chelsea as even a point was keeping them well placed to achieve the top eight finish they need to bypass the lottery of the play-offs.

But they lost focus in their defensive duties with seven minutes left on the clock and their opponents seized the moment.

The Italians are in good form 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 nothing after securing the lead.

But the broader context is that this extends Chelsea's concerning streak of results in all tournaments.

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

Excessive Changes Turning Out to Be Expensive?

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

The rotations here came 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.

Maresca will see squad rotation as necessary as he tries to handle players' fitness and challenge both at domestically and in Europe, but he insisted the central contingent of players stays the same for important games.

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

"If you see the five alterations that we did relative to the previous game it is a change but it involves the same eight or nine players who played in that match.

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

Up Next for These Sides?

The Blues' next European fixture sees them host the Cypriot side on the coming Wednesday (8pm GMT).

The Italian team, meanwhile, host Athletic Bilbao at the same time.