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Atalanta Stun Chelsea in Bergamo to Dent Blues’ Champions League Ambitions

Chelsea’s push for a direct passage into the Champions League knockout stage suffered a major setback in Bergamo, where Atalanta overturned a first-half deficit to claim a deserved 2-1 victory. Coming into the contest level on 10 points after five league-phase fixtures, both sides knew that a win would place them firmly in the top-eight bracket — and for long stretches they seemed inseparable.

Chelsea struck first when Joao Pedro reacted sharply to guide Reece James’ driven cross into the net, capping a promising opening spell. Yet despite falling behind, Atalanta consistently carried a threat in transition, with Ademola Lookman — once of Charlton and Everton — stretching Chelsea’s back line with his pace and movement.

James squandered a rare second-half opportunity before the match swung decisively. Former West Ham forward Gianluca Scamacca rose highest to meet a curling delivery, powering in the equaliser that Atalanta’s attacking pressure had long hinted at. Soon after, Alejandro Garnacho forced a routine save, but Chelsea’s defensive stand faltered again late on. With seven minutes to play, Charles De Ketelaere advanced unchallenged on the edge of the box and drilled a clinical strike beyond the goalkeeper.

Chelsea mounted a final push, only to be denied by a brilliant save from Marco Carnesecchi that kept Pedro from snatching a point. The defeat drops Chelsea to 11th place, outside the automatic qualification zone, with only two league-phase matches left. Atalanta, meanwhile, rise impressively to third, now three points clear of their English opponents.

This result extends a troubling run for Chelsea. Since their emphatic 3-0 win over Barcelona at the end of November, the Blues have failed to win any of their last four matches across competitions. Manager Enzo Maresca has rotated heavily — five changes for this match, following similar turnover in previous games — prompting debate over rhythm and consistency. Yet Maresca defended his approach, insisting that the backbone of his lineup has remained intact for major fixtures and that rotation is essential under the demands of domestic and European football.

Chelsea still have time to recover, but their margin for error has narrowed dramatically — and their form must improve quickly if they are to avoid facing the unpredictability of the playoff round.

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