It was a night of mixed fortunes for London’s top clubs in the Champions League. While Tottenham Hotspur continued their dominant home form with a convincing victory, Chelsea stumbled on the road in a dramatic comeback defeat. Here’s a full recap of how the action unfolded in Italy and North London.

De Ketelaere Inspires Atalanta’s Comeback Victory

Chelsea’s 100th away match in the Champions League proper ended in disappointment. They suffered a 2-1 defeat to Atalanta despite grabbing an early lead. The Blues looked set for a positive result when João Pedro found the net mid-way through the first half. His low strike, assisted by Reece James, was initially disallowed for offside. However, a VAR check correctly overturned the decision, putting Chelsea ahead against the run of play.

After the break, the momentum shifted dramatically. Atalanta came out strong, with Ademola Lookman having a goal ruled out for offside. Shortly after, Gianluca Scamacca headed in an equalizer to level the score. The home side’s pressure ultimately paid off. With under ten minutes to go, Charles De Ketelaere became the hero for Atalanta. His right-footed shot took a crucial deflection, wrong-footing goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and sealing a memorable win. De Ketelaere was the standout performer, providing the assist for the first goal before scoring the winner.

Spurs Secure Dominant Win Over Slavia Prague

In contrast, Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a comfortable night at home. They secured a 3-0 victory against Slavia Prague, maintaining their perfect home record in this season’s Champions League. This win significantly boosts their chances for a top-eight finish in the new league phase.

The scoring began in the 26th minute in a fortunate manner.

• A corner flicked on by Cristian Romero struck Slavia defender David Zima and went into his own net.
• This goal was a milestone, marking Tottenham’s 100th in the Champions League.

Spurs turned their dominance into more goals in the second half, both from the penalty spot. First, Mohammed Kudus smashed home a penalty five minutes after the restart, following a handball by Youssoupha Sanyang. Later, Xavi Simons won and then converted another spot-kick, calmly slotting his low shot past the keeper to make it 3-0.

Despite the lopsided score, Slavia Prague’s goalkeeper, Jindrich Stanek, delivered an outstanding performance. He made a series of excellent saves to deny several Tottenham attackers, preventing an even bigger defeat for his side. Nevertheless, Tottenham’s defence remained solid, earning a clean sheet and extending their unbeaten European home run to 23 games.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Tuesday’s Champions League action delivered two very different stories for the London clubs. Tottenham’s dominant performance at home underlines their strength in this competition, keeping their European fortress intact. On the other hand, Chelsea’s defeat in Italy serves as a tough reminder of how quickly games can turn, especially away from home. Both teams will now look ahead to their next fixtures, knowing every point is crucial in the league phase.