Atalanta came from behind to stun Chelsea 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League, sealing just their second win in eight meetings with English opposition, while the Blues’ winless away run in the competition stretched to five matches. It was a disappointing night for Enzo Maresca’s side, especially after they arrived in Italy on the back of an outstanding 3-0 victory over Barcelona in their previous UCL outing, Softfootball reports.
Despite failing to score a first-half goal in the competition this season, Atalanta nearly ended that unwanted streak inside the opening six minutes. Ademola Lookman weaved brilliantly through the Chelsea defence and drew a strong save from Robert Sánchez, before Charles De Ketelaere narrowly missed turning in the rebound. Lookman threatened again midway through the half, but a heroic block from Josh Acheampong denied the forward in front of goal.
Those missed chances proved costly moments later. With 25 minutes played, Reece James whipped in a low cross that João Pedro tucked home. The assistant referee raised his flag instantly, but VAR confirmed both players were onside, giving Chelsea the lead and shifting the momentum firmly in their favour. The Blues controlled possession and tempo until the interval, while Atalanta faded without creating another clear opening.
But as they so often do, La Dea transformed after the break. Lookman briefly thought he had equalised eight minutes into the second half, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Chelsea’s warning lasted barely two minutes, though. De Ketelaere delivered a brilliant curling cross into the box, and Gianluca Scamacca rose highest to head past Sánchez, punishing Chelsea just moments after James had dragged a golden chance for 2-0 inches wide.
Scamacca nearly doubled his tally just after the hour mark with a clever flicked effort from a free-kick, but Sánchez reacted superbly to keep it out. Chelsea had their own big moment through Alejandro Garnacho, whose low strike forced a save from Marco Carnesecchi, but it would be Atalanta who found the decisive breakthrough.
De Ketelaere, electric all evening, drove into Chelsea’s box in the 84th minute as the defenders backed off. His shot took two deflections first off Marc Cucurella, then off Sánchez before nestling in the net to complete the turnaround. Late attempts from Garnacho and James were pushed away by Carnesecchi, who stood firm to secure the points.
After the game, Atlanta via its official X handle, shared that midfielder Charles De ketelaere was named player of the match for his flawless performance, it came as no surprise for fans as the player was influential in Atlanta’s Comeback, scoring a goal and providing an assist. They posted:
The victory marks only Atalanta’s third home win in eight Champions League matches, while Chelsea tasted defeat in the competition for the first time since Matchday 1 loss against Bayern Munich, ending the momentum they had built with that emphatic win over Barcelona. The Blues now find themselves under pressure once again, while Atalanta move a step closer to the knockout rounds with a performance full of resilience and belief.
