Chelsea head back into Champions League action on Tuesday night knowing they’re stepping into a bit of a graveyard for them. Enzo Maresca’s side travel to Atalanta for matchday six, hoping to build on that brilliant 3-0 dismantling of Barcelona at Stamford Bridge but history says the trip to Italy is usually where the Blues come unstuck.
Maresca’s men won’t have the roar of west London behind them this time, and they certainly won’t have good memories of the country either. Chelsea has managed just two wins in 15 matches on Italian soil, a miserable record stretching all the way back to the 1960s. Too often, these away days has felt like walking into the dentist without anaesthetic.
The rot began in October 1965 with a goalless draw at Roma, then came a grim run of defeats and stalemates before Chelsea finally tasted victory in Italy nearly four decades later, a stunning 4-0 win at Lazio in 2003, which looked, at the time, like a turning point. It wasn’t. The Blues then went seven straight games without a win, including five consecutive losses, as Italian trips became something of a recurring nightmare.
There is, however, one recent glimmer of hope. Chelsea’s last visit to the country ended in a tidy 2-0 win over AC Milan in 2022, a performance that briefly broke the curse and showed the Blues can get it right when everything clicks. Maresca will be clinging to that one, because history is otherwise screaming caution.
Defensively, Chelsea has another issue to sort out. They’ve conceded in 11 of their 15 away matches in Italy, keeping clean sheets only against Roma (0-0), Lazio (0-0 and 0-4) and Milan (0-2). With Atalanta known for fast starts and aggressive pressing under Gian Piero Gasperini, shutting the door early will be crucial.
As for the list itself, it’s not pretty reading for Chelsea fans:
Chelsea’s Last 15 Matches on Italian Soil
Milan 0-2 Chelsea
Juventus 1-0 Chelsea
Roma 3-0 Chelsea
Juventus 3-0 Chelsea
Napoli 3-1 Chelsea
Inter 2-1 Chelsea
Juventus 2-2 Chelsea
Roma 3-1 Chelsea
Lazio 0-4 Chelsea
Lazio 0-0 Chelsea
Milan 1-1 Chelsea
Vicenza 1-0 Chelsea
Milan 1-1 Chelsea
Milan 2-1 Chelsea
Roma 0-0 Chelsea
Chelsea head to Bergamo knowing a win could push them further into the knockouts, but with Italy having been a house of horrors for decades, Maresca’s side has plenty of ghosts to silence. Atalanta will fancy their chances, it’s now up to Chelsea to finally rewrite the script.
