CHELSEA’S Champions League campaign suffered an ex-Hammer blow thanks to Gianluca Scamacca and Atalanta.
The former West Ham striker equalised and then Charles De Ketelaere grabbed a late winner for the home team.
The day after Bergamo celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Chelsea were unable to deliver their own pre-Christmas miracle: An away win in the Champions League.
Enzo Maresca’s side have now lost two and drawn one of three away matches on their return to the European football’s blue riband event.
The last victory on their travels in this competition was at Red Bull Salzburg more than three years ago.
Next the Blues face another tricky trip to Italy in January when they will face Napoli and former boss Antonio Conte – if the fiery boss is still there by then.
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And there are now also significant doubts about whether Chelsea will be able to seal a top-eight place in the table that would avoid a two-legged play-off to reach the Last 16.
And they only have themselves to blame after taking the lead through Joao Pedro’s first Champions League goal and missing at least one good chance to extend their lead.
The Blues started and ended the game badly.
Within six minutes, Ademola Lookman wriggled free, Robert Sanchez diverted the shot with his leg and Chelsea were lucky De Ketelaere was unable to send the ball goalwards from close range.
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The next threat came down the right, just after former Chelsea full-back Davide Zappacosta had come on as a substitute.
It was all our Premier League yesterdays, as Scamacca flicked on Zappacosta’s cross to former Fulham and Everton man Lookman, whose shot was brilliantly blocked by Josh Acheampong.
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CHELSEA threw away the lead to lose 2-1 on a disappointing night in Italy.
Only a few players could hold their heads high on the plane home from the loss against Atalanta, while some will be desperate to get back and just hide away for a while.
So who was the best of a less than impressive bunch? Read SunSport’s Lloyd Canfield’s ratings right here to find out.
Marten de Roon sent the rebound off target.
But Chelsea, after doing next to nothing in attack, suddenly took the lead.
Reece James was convinced he had not been offside from Enzo Fernandez’s pass before crossing for Pedro to score from three yards.
A VAR review proved him right and the assistant referee on the far side wrong.
Very little of interest happened for the rest of the half as the game became scrappy.
Maresca sent on Wesley Fofana at the break for Trevor Chalobah, who had been booked.
Atalanta fight back
James could and probably should have extended the Blues’ lead within six minutes. But after his first shot was blocked, the Chelsea captain fired wide.
It soon proved costly. After Jamie GIttens had a shot saved by Marco Carnesecchi, Scamacca struck.
De Ketealaere ran and crossed to the back post where the former Hammer headed home from close range.
Soon Sanchez was diving to his left to keep out an improvised header by Scamacca and the stadium was bouncing.
Chelsea were reeling a little and Maresca had to make changes.
But the ones he chose were a bit odd, sending on Malo Gusto and Alejandro Garnacho for Fernandez and Pedro Neto.
Substitutions don’t pay off
The Blues now had three right-backs on the pitch. It was a strange way to go about winning a game and in the end they lost it.
Chances at either end dried up again for a while, and Garnacho sent a shot straight at Carnesecchi.
Maresca had to make another substitution after Fofana was unable to shake off an accidental kick to the head by Scamacca.
The Blues’ defence was unsettled and De Ketelaere took full advantage.
The Belgian ran at them, Benoit Badiashile and Marc Cucurella backed off, and his shot went in off the Spaniard.
Carnesecchi saved from Garnacho in the 90th minute and Pedro’s scuffed effort at the death as Atalanta held on for a famous win.
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