Chelsea's Champions League hopes suffered a setback as a 2-1 defeat to Atalanta in Bergamo damaged their chances of automatic qualification for the round of 16. Manager Enzo Maresca's policy of heavy rotation has come under scrutiny following a run of inconsistent results that has seen his side struggle for form.

Chelsea let an early lead slip against Atalanta, falling to a 2-1 defeat at the Gewiss Stadium. Joao Pedro put the Blues ahead in the 25th minute, but the Serie A side responded in the second half. Gianluca Scamacca equalised in the 55th minute before Charles De Ketelaere struck the winner seven minutes from time to secure the three points for the home side.

Despite enjoying slightly more possession (51%), Chelsea managed fewer shots than their opponents (9 to Atalanta's 11). Both teams had five shots on target, but Atalanta proved more clinical. The defeat leaves Chelsea in 11th place in the Champions League group stage standings with 10 points from six matches. They are now outside the top eight spots that guarantee automatic progression to the last 16, facing the prospect of a play-off round. Atalanta moved up to third place with 13 points.

Chelsea's recent form has been characterised by inconsistency. Since impressive performances against Barcelona and Arsenal, they have suffered a heavy defeat to Leeds, played out a goalless draw with Bournemouth, and now lost to Atalanta. Critics have pointed to Maresca's frequent changes to his starting lineup as a potential cause for this lack of rhythm.

However, the Chelsea head coach has defended his approach, insisting that the core of his team remains stable for key matches. "I think tonight, first XI, we had inside the pitch eight, nine players that play against Tottenham, they play against Barcelona, they play against Wolves, Arsenal," Maresca stated. "We had eight, nine players that are the ones playing every time, these kind of games. So if you see the five changes that we did compared to Bournemouth, it’s different."

Maresca acknowledged that his large squad requires management, with numerous players on the books, but maintained that his rotation is necessary to handle the fixture congestion.

With two group games remaining, Chelsea's path to the Champions League round of 16 has become more complicated. To have a realistic chance of finishing in the top eight and avoiding the play-off round, they likely need to win both of their final matches.

Their next Champions League fixture sees them welcome Cypriot side Pafos, and former defender David Luiz, to Stamford Bridge. They then travel to Italy for a tough test against Serie A champions Napoli in their final group game.

"We need to win both, otherwise, we try to play the playoff and then go to the next round," Maresca admitted. The prospect of an extra two-legged tie in an already congested schedule is something the Chelsea boss will be keen to avoid.

Before resuming their Champions League campaign, Chelsea return to Premier League action with a home match against Everton on Saturday. The Toffees are currently seventh in the league and will present a stern test for Maresca's side. Following that, Chelsea travel to face Cardiff City in the EFL Cup quarter-final on Wednesday. Maresca will need to find the right balance in his team selection to navigate this busy period and return to winning ways across all competitions.