Chelsea seek to end road woes against Atalanta

Chelsea return back to European action as they travel to Italy to take on Atalanta for the first time in the Champions League at the Stadio di Bergamo on Wednesday night.

Both teams are level on 10 points in the league phase, but the Blues sit three places ahead with superior goal difference.

Atalanta secured a 3-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt last time out and will be looking to continue their fine form in the Champions League.

Chelsea battered Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in their last CL outing.

Match preview

Atalanta’s record in 11 matches against English opposition is W4 D3 L4; this is their first fixture since drawing 0-0 at home to Arsenal on Matchday 1 last season.

Chelsea last faced Italian opponents in the 2022/23 group stage, beating AC Milan 3-0 at home and 2-0 away.

That made it three successive wins, and clean sheets, against Serie A sides for the Blues, who had managed two victories in the preceding 12 games (D3 L7).

La Dea were 3-0 winners at Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday five and have lost only two of their last 19 group stage/league phase games in European competition (W11 D6) and one of the last nine at home (W4 D4).

The Bergamo club are unbeaten in four Champions League games (W3 D1).

The Blues have won 13 of their last 15 group stage/league phase matches in Europe (D1 L1).

The victory at Frankfurt was Atalanta’s ninth clean sheet in their last 14 group stage/league phase games in UEFA competition, and a third in succession.

Chelsea have scored in their last 20 European games and have opened the scoring in their last four.

Indeed, none of the Blues’ last 53 European fixtures have finished goalless.

Ademola Lookman has scored in five of his last eight Champions League appearances.

Aged 18 years and 215 days, Estêvão became the second youngest player to score in three consecutive Champions League matches with his goal against Barcelona, behind Kylian Mbappé (18 years and 113 days). Mbappé extended his streak to four games at 18 years and 120 days; Estêvão will be 18 years and 229 days on the day of the trip to Atalanta.

Team news

Atalanta

Kamaldeen Sulemana and Mitchel Bakker are unavailable for the hosts due to injuries.

Chelsea

The visitors were dealt a new injury blow as Liam Delap came off with a shoulder injury in the weekend’s draw at Bournemouth.

Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo and Levi Colwill are on the visitors’ absentee list.

Predicted line-ups

Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Kossounou, Hien, Djimsiti, Bellanova, Ederson, Pasalic, Zalewski, De Ketelaere, Lookman, Scamacca.

Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Estevao, Garnacho, Neto, Pedro.