Chelsea were third in the Champions League at one stage on Tuesday night but finished it in 11th, meaning they must now win at Napoli to avoid a play-off.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, we wrote that history is repeating itself as Chelsea<\/a>, for the second season running, appear to be playing themselves out of the Premier League title race with a woeful run of results just as they appeared to have really confirmed their credentials.<\/p>\n Defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League doesn\u2019t just reinforce that narrative. It also means Enzo Maresca\u2019s side probably need to beat the Italian champions, managed by former Chelsea<\/a> boss Antonio Conte, away from home on the final matchday to finish inside the top eight and avoid the play-offs.<\/p>\n The Blues\u2019 away record in the 2025\/26 Champions League has been very poor. They are yet to win, after defeats to Bayern and Atalanta, and a draw against Qarabag. Luckily, they\u2019ve been superb at home, smashing Ajax and Barcelona and edging past Jose Mourinho\u2019s Benfica.<\/p>\n That home form is why the Blues are still almost certain to avoid the embarrassment of going out altogether, but their away form is why they are only in a play-off spot, when they really ought to have finished in the top eight to automatically qualify for the last 16.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not like Chelsea have faced an especially difficult run of fixtures. Atalanta are a solid team, but you should be winning there if it\u2019s a must-win game and you have aspirations of going far in the competition. Qarabag away has to be three points. Bayern away is arguably the toughest possible fixture. Napoli away isn\u2019t far off that, and it has now become a gigantic game for Maresca.<\/p>\n Chelsea\u2019s title push fading during the busy winter period for the second year in a row is an ominous sign for the head coach. It\u2019s not like they are running out of steam in April or falling victim to the Manchester City machine. But in December, the bottle is crashing. Again. It\u2019s unacceptable and signals a manager not suited to such a big job despite significant transfer backing.<\/p>\n Maresca needs to prove us wrong, but he has some very difficult fixtures standing in his way. Everton at home suddenly looks tricky. Then it\u2019s Cardiff City away in the Carabao Cup, Newcastle United at St James\u2019 Park, Aston Villa at home, and Bournemouth at home, all before 2026.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just results that will put Maresca under pressure. His in-game management has been questionable at times, and losing from being 1-0 up in a crucial Champions League tie is another example.<\/p>\n Chelsea were level on 10 points with Atalanta going into Tuesday\u2019s fixture, and at 1-0 up, they were as high as third, looking like a shoo-in for the top eight. Instead, the Italians finished the evening third, while the Blues sit 11th, behind Liverpool and Spurs. Five teams between 12th and 22nd could leapfrog them in the group phase standings on Wednesday.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not the position they want or should be in, considering where Chelsea\u2019s points have been dropped. But here they are, and their post-Arsenal slump continues.<\/p>\n That 1-1 \u201cstatement\u201d draw over the Premier League leaders suggested Chelsea would compete for the title, but they are now showing us that it will be another scrap for a top-five finish.<\/p>\n To avoid that, Maresca must manage games better and prepare more thoroughly. After the 2-1 defeat, he said his players lost control after Atalanta\u2019s equaliser. Sure, his players could manage the game better, but if control is lost, it\u2019s the manager\u2019s job to restore it.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst half we were controlling the game,\u201d Maresca said.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter the goal we conceded, we lost a bit of control. We are playing every two days and we probably struggled a bit. We just want to win as soon as possible. We tried to be aggressive, and when we conceded 1-1, the dynamic of the game probably changed.\u201d<\/p>\n Then came some questionable words from Maresca. He repeatedly emphasised that Chelsea are playing games \u201cevery two days,\u201d suggesting that this is affecting his massive squad, which he unnecessarily rotated against Leeds last week<\/a> and into which over \u00a31 billion has been invested since summer 2022.<\/p>\n That is a poor excuse. Chelsea aren\u2019t playing any more games than Arsenal or Manchester City, and they don\u2019t have the dreaded Thursday-Sunday schedule like Aston Villa or Crystal Palace. It\u2019s just not the place to search for reasons why your team is struggling.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are playing every two days\u2026 for a moment it looked like we struggled a bit. Now it\u2019s about trying to win the next game. I am always worried. Two points in four games is not what we expect, and we have to do better.\u201d<\/p>\n Everton can cause this team problems; they are full of confidence after smashing Nottingham Forest 3-0. It\u2019s a big game for Chelsea and Maresca. A win for the Toffees would see them leap above the Blues in the Premier League table<\/a>. That won\u2019t be a good look. And you have until Saturday to recover, Enzo, you lucky sod.<\/p>\n