Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca voiced his frustration after watching his team surrender a first-half advantage and fall to a 2-1 defeat against Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Joao Pedro’s 25th-minute strike put Chelsea ahead, but Atalanta emerged from the interval with renewed purpose. Goals from Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere turned the match on its head, leaving the Premier League side empty-handed in Bergamo.

Maresca felt Chelsea should have made their early dominance count.

“After we conceded the first goal, we lost a bit of control, and then we let in the second,” he said post-match. “Both goals are avoidable. They’re too easy.”

The result pushes Atalanta towards the top of the group on 13 points, strengthening their hopes of securing direct passage to the last 16. Chelsea, meanwhile, remain on 10 points and under pressure.

Failure to win their remaining fixtures — against Cypriot outfit Pafos and Italian champions Napoli — could leave Maresca’s men outside the top eight, forcing them into a two-legged playoff tie.

“With two wins and 16 points, you probably finish in the top eight,” Maresca noted. “We’re not certain, but the priority now is the next game — and then the next one. If we want to make the top eight, we have to win both. Otherwise, we’ll fight through the playoff route.”

Chelsea return to domestic action on Saturday when they welcome Everton to Stamford Bridge.