By Olukayode Olumuyiwa.
Atalanta staged a thrilling second-half comeback, fueled by a sensational performance from Charles De Ketelaere, to defeat Chelsea 2-1 in a crucial UEFA Champions League group stage match on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at the Gewiss Stadium.
The victory delivered a significant boost to Atalanta’s European campaign and halted Chelsea’s momentum, extending the London side’s winless streak to four matches across all competitions.
The Turning Point
Chelsea had initially taken the lead midway through the first half. Brazilian forward Joao Pedro netted in the 25th minute, converting a low cross from captain Reece James after a short corner routine. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was quickly overturned by VAR, giving the Blues a 1-0 advantage that they carried into the break.
However, the second half belonged to the Italian side, with Belgian star Charles De Ketelaere inspiring a dramatic turnaround.
The equaliser came in the 55th minute. De Ketelaere delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post, which was met by a powerful header from former West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca, beating Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez to level the score at 1-1.
Late Winner Crushes Chelsea Hopes
With the match heading towards a draw, De Ketelaere delivered the decisive blow in the 83rd minute. After a quick free-kick, the Belgian was given space to drive towards the Chelsea penalty area. He unleashed a shot that deflected off defender Marc Cucurella and sailed past a diving Sánchez, completing the 2-1 comeback for Atalanta.
De Ketelaere was instrumental throughout the night, with his contribution of an assist for the equaliser and the late winning goal earning him the Man of the Match award. The victory moves Atalanta up to third in the Champions League standings, three points ahead of Chelsea with just two league phase games remaining for both clubs.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made five changes to his line-up for the match, with notable mentions for 19-year-old Josh Acheampong, who impressed on his first Champions League start at right-back, and substitute Wesley Fofana, who had to be withdrawn shortly after coming on due to a freak eye injury from an accidental collision with Scamacca.
The result is a significant setback for Chelsea’s hopes of an automatic qualification spot for the Champions League knockout stages.
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