Chelsea Collapse Again as Atalanta Expose Maresca’s Biggest Weakness

Chelsea Start Strong but Waste It All

Chelsea walked into Bergamo needing a statement win. For 45 minutes, they looked like a team finally in control. Joao Pedro finished sharply at the near post after Reece James timed his run to perfection. The VAR check confirmed the goal and Chelsea seemed ready to take charge of the group.

Lookman Causes Chaos Early

Ademola Lookman was unstoppable in the first half. He drove to the byline, forced Sanchez into action and constantly stretched Chelsea’s defence. Josh Acheampong made a crucial block from point-blank range, preventing a certain goal. Despite the pressure, Chelsea still looked the better side heading into halftime.

The Momentum Shifts Instantly

Then everything collapsed. Chelsea came out of the tunnel with far lower intensity, and Atalanta immediately punished them. Lookman had a tap-in ruled out for offside before Chelsea nearly scored through Gittens, whose shot was saved by Carnesecchi. But the warning signs were clear, and Chelsea ignored them.

Scamacca Left Shockingly Unmarked

The equaliser summed up Chelsea’s biggest flaw. Charles De Ketelaere found space on the right, lifted in a cross—and nobody marked Gianluca Scamacca. He rose alone in the six-yard box and nodded the ball past Sanchez. A top Champions League team cannot concede goals this cheaply, yet Chelsea do it repeatedly.

Sanchez Saves Chelsea From Disaster… For a Moment

Right after the goal, Sanchez produced a stunning one-handed stop to deny Scamacca again. Atalanta were growing, Chelsea were shrinking, and the outcome felt inevitable.

De Ketelaere Finishes the Job

With seven minutes left, De Ketelaere sprinted past Marc Cucurella and smashed a ruthless strike into the far corner. Chelsea’s defence simply couldn’t cope with his movement all night.

Pedro had the last big chance of the match but fired straight at the goalkeeper. It summed up Chelsea’s collapse: good positions, poor execution, no composure.

Chelsea Now Facing a Brutal Reality

This defeat drops Chelsea below Atalanta and leaves their progress hanging by a thread. They will likely need to win both remaining matches, including a tough trip to Napoli. A game they should have won has now turned into a problem they must fix fast.