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Key Moments

• Joao Pedro gives Chelsea the advantage in the opening period.
• The Italian outfit the stronger side after the interval and draw level through the striker.
• Charles de Ketelaere scores a last-gasp winner for the hosts.
• Loss means Chelsea slide to 11th in the league phase of the Champions League.
• The leading eight teams qualify automatically for the knockout phase.

The London club's chances of securing a place automatically for the Champions League knockout stages were dealt a blow as their Italian opponents overturned a deficit to triumph in Bergamo.

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

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

But Atalanta remained a danger going forward, with ex- Charlton and Everton attacker Ademola Lookman problems for the backline.

Reece James fired wide in the second half but Atalanta raised the pressure and justly equalised when former West Ham United striker headed in a cross.

The winger drove a strong effort straight at the goalkeeper but Atalanta scored the decisive strike late on when the Blues defence backed off the midfielder, who made no mistake with a low shot.

Chelsea attempted to rescue a draw late on but a superb stop by the Atalanta goalkeeper denied Joao Pedro.

The outcome means Chelsea drop out of the automatic qualification places—the spots that qualify automatically for the next round—to eleventh with two league phase matches remaining.

The Bergamo club, in contrast, leap up to third place, three points ahead of the Blues.

Blues Breakdown - Worrying Form Persists

This was a deeply disappointing outcome for Chelsea as even a draw was keeping them in a strong position to achieve the top-eight position they need to bypass the lottery of the qualifying play-off round.

But they lost focus in defence with seven minutes remaining and their opponents took full advantage.

The Italian side are in good form at the moment so this was always going to be a tough test for the Blues, but they will be disappointed to be departing with no points after securing the lead.

But the wider issue is that this continues Chelsea's concerning run of results in all competitions.

Since beating Barcelona 3-0 at the close of November they are now without a win in their last four outings.

Excessive Rotations Proving Costly?

Manager Enzo Maresca enacted five changes for this match as he persisted with his run of moving players in and out of the starting lineup.

The rotations here followed after he made the same number for the loss to Leeds United and six for the draw with AFC Bournemouth prior to the trip to Bergamo.

Maresca will view rotation as necessary as he tries to manage players' fitness and compete both at home and abroad, but he stated the central contingent of players remains the unchanged for key games.

"I believe tonight [in] the first XI we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham Hotspur, FC Barcelona, and the Gunners," he said.

"If you look at the five alterations that we made relative to the previous game it is different but it is the same eight or nine players playing in that match.

"The players who played this evening are the individuals playing almost all the games."

What's Next for These Teams?

Chelsea's next European fixture sees them welcome Pafos on the coming Wednesday (8pm GMT).

The Italian team, meanwhile, host Athletic Club at the identical kick-off time.