Chelsea fell victim to an impressive turnaround.
Chelsea suffered a Champions League setback as Atalanta came from behind to claim a 2-1 win in Tuesday’s clash in Bergamo.
The Blues appeared to be on course to claim a win to all but secure their place in the knockout phase when João Pedro ended a run of four goals without a game in the 25th minute.
But Chelsea’s lack of cutting edge after going ahead was apparent, and Atalanta took advantage.
Gianluca Scamacca restored parity with a close-range header early in the second half, before Charles De Ketelaere struck the winner seven minutes from the end of normal time to hand Chelsea their second defeat of the league phase.
Pedro ends Chelsea drought
Atalanta had made much of the early running, with Scamacca and Marten de Roon going close for the hosts in the 19th minute.
But six minutes later Pedro rediscovered his goalscoring touch when he latched onto Reece James’ low ball into the near post to steer home.
The goal was initially ruled out for offside against James in the build-up, but a VAR check overturned the linesman’s decision.
Yet Chelsea failed to build on their opener, and their inability to do so would prove costly.
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James fired wide from close range as Chelsea started the second half brightly, but the they were pegged back in the 55th minute as Scamacca rose to head in De Ketelaere’s right-wing cross.
Scamacca continued to provide Atalanta’s chief goal threat thereafter as the hosts grew into the game, yet it was the man who created the equaliser who completed the turnaround, albeit with a helping hand from Robert Sanchez.
De Ketelaere was afforded considerable space in midfield with Chelsea all too willing to allow him to surge towards the box, where he let fly with a low effort that somehow crept under the hand of Sanchez and into the bottom corner.
The visitors pushed for a late leveller, but Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi was never truly troubled as Chelsea suffered a defeat that damages their ambitions of a top-eight finish.