Champions League
Atalanta
Dec 9, 2025 8.00pm
2
1
HT : 0 1
FT
Chelsea
  • Gianluca Scamacca 55' goal
  • Charles De Ketelaere 83' goal
  • goal Joao Pedro 25'
  • yellowcard Trevoh Chalobah 29'

Atalanta BC 2-1 Chelsea: Highlights, man of the match, stats as Charles De Ketelaere leads comeback

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Chelsea capitulate as Atalanta fight from behind to seal comeback Champions League win
© Imago / IPA Sport

Atalanta fought from behind to seal a late 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with Charles De Ketelaere leading the comeback. 

Atalanta made a strong start to the match and could have broken the deadlock early on, but Chelsea started to grow into the game and became the stronger team as the half progressed, and it was the Blues ultimately in the lead at the break thanks to Joao Pedro's 25th-minute sliding finish.

Chelsea initially picked up where they left off in the second half, but Atalanta scored against the run of play just 10 minutes after the restart thanks to Gianluca Scamacca's header, and the hosts were certainly the more dominant side in the minutes directly following the equaliser. 

However, the momentum swung in the opposite direction late in the game, and it was Atalanta who scored next to complete the comeback as De Ketelaere's powerful effort beat Robert Sanchez to seal the 2-1 victory for the hosts.

SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT

© Imago / IPA Sport

Both teams struggled to build momentum in tonight's clash, with the game ebbing and flowing as the two sides each enjoyed periods of pressure before the match swung in the opposite way.

A large factor for that was the difficulty in which both teams had attempting to control the tempo of the game, with high pressure tactics from both teams, while the two sides also failed to build from stable defensive foundations. 

That meant that when one of the teams was on top in the game, they were able to keep the opposition side largely pinned deep inside their own half, consistently winning the ball back high up the pitch and recycling several attacks before momentum eventually swung the other way - often following an effective counter attack from the opposition.

The defensive vulnerabilities from both sides were apparent throughout the 90 minutes, with Chelsea and Atalanta each creating numerous goalscoring opportunities that they each often failed to capitalise on, though the hosts did ultimately show more cutting edge in the final third - leading to them securing the 2-1 win.

As a result, Chelsea will be extremely frustrated as they certainly enjoyed more time than their hosts on top in the match, but a lack of any real cutting edge meant they failed to make the most of their time in control, only further highlighting the absence of Cole Palmer and Estevao from the first team tonight. 

ATALANTA BC VS. CHELSEA HIGHLIGHTS

Joao Pedro goal vs. Atalanta BC (25th min, Atalanta BC 0-1 Chelsea)

Pedro squeezes it in to give Chelsea the lead!

A short corner is worked to Enzo Fernandez just outside the box, and the Argentine then lays it into the path of Reece James, who is making a run towards the byline. 

James fires a left-footed, low cross towards the front post, where Pedro slides in and gets a touch to direct the ball past Marco Carnesecchi and into the back of the net. 

Gianluca Scamacca goal vs. Chelsea (55th min, Atalanta BC 1-1 Chelsea)

Scamacca heads home to equalise for Atalanta!

De Ketelaere has the ball on the right side of the pitch, the Belgian twists and turns and races towards the byline.

De Ketelaere clips a right-footed cross towards the back post, finding the unmarked Scamacca, who nods into the net from close range. 

Charles De Ketelaere goal vs. Chelsea (83rd min, Atalanta BC 2-1 Chelsea)

De Ketelaere turns the game on its head - Atalanta have the lead!

De Ketelaere picks up the ball inside Chelsea's half and is given plenty of space to drive into the Blues penalty area. 

The Belgian eventually lets fly with his right foot, and his strike is too powerful for Sanchez, with the keeper's hand to the ball not enough to keep it out as the shot soars into the back of the net.

MAN OF THE MATCH - CHARLES DE KETELAERE

De Ketelaere was instrumental in Atalanta's comeback victory, assisting the first before scoring the second to seal the 2-1 win. 

The Belgian's attacking threat was on show throughout the match, with no player creating more than his three chances, while he was also the most fouled player on the pitch (five). 

De Ketelaere's two-footedness proved a clear problem for Chelsea, as shown in both goals, with their defenders hesitant to commit to a challenge knowing he could go either way, giving the midfielder the time and space to make the decisive final action - which came via his "weaker" right foot on both occasions.

ATALANTA BC VS. CHELSEA MATCH STATS

Possession: Atalanta BC 49%-51% Chelsea

Shots: Atalanta BC 13-10 Chelsea

Shots on target: Atalanta BC 4-5 Chelsea

Corners: Atalanta BC 2-5 Chelsea

Fouls: Atalanta BC 6-14 Chelsea

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Atalanta's focus now turns to their busy winter schedule in Serie A, with seven games before their next Champions League fixture in mid-January, starting with Saturday's clash against Cagliari.

As for Chelsea, the Blues have nine matches scheduled in that same period, beginning with an encounter against Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.

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