Chelsea’s tumultuous run of form continued in the UEFA Champions League last night as they were stunned by a resilient Atalanta BC side, losing 2-1 in Bergamo. The defeat deals a significant blow to the Blues’ hopes of securing automatic qualification for the knockout rounds.
The match, a crucial head-to-head for League Phase positioning, saw Chelsea take the lead through João Pedro in the 25th minute, who expertly slotted home a cross from Reece James. The London side went into the break ahead, seemingly in control.
However, the second half belonged entirely to the Italian hosts. Former West Ham forward Gianluca Scamacca levelled the score in the 55th minute with a powerful header following a superb cross from Charles De Ketelaere.
The comeback was completed in the 83rd minute by the brilliant De Ketelaere himself. The Belgian collected the ball, drove toward the box, and fired a fizzing shot that found its way past goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, sealing the 2-1 victory for “La Dea” (The Goddess).
The Implication: This result extends Chelsea’s winless streak to four games across all competitions and, more critically, sees them drop out of the top eight in the Champions League table. With tough matches remaining, the team now faces an uphill battle to avoid the Knockout Phase Play-offs, putting immense pressure on manager Enzo Maresca.
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