Atalanta vs Chelsea: Nigeria Eligible Star Chizaram Ezenwata Makes UEFA Debut for London Club
- Nigeria-eligible forward Chizaram Ezenwata made his UEFA Youth League debut for Chelsea U19s against Atalanta
- Chelsea U19s defeated Atalanta 3-1, while the senior team suffered an embarrassing loss in Bergamo
- The Blues led by Enzo Maresca drop to 11th in the Champions League standings, needing points to secure knockout qualification
Chelsea U19s claimed a 3-1 victory over Atalanta in Bergamo, with 17-year-old Chizaram Ezenwata finally stepping onto the pitch in the UEFA Youth League.
The Flying Eagles invitee, eligible for Nigeria through his father and Cameroon through his mother, had been named in three previous matchday squads but had yet to make his debut.
Source: UGC
Against Atalanta, Ezenwata started alongside fellow teenagers of Nigerian descent Landon Emenalo and Olutayo Subuloye.
Jesse Derry opened the scoring in the 28th minute, and although Francesco Gasparello equalised shortly after, Derry restored Chelsea’s lead before halftime.
Reggie Walsh added a third goal in the 55th minute to seal the win to seal the win for the London side, as seen on Livescores.
Ezenwata played 83 minutes before being substituted for Sol Gordon.
This season, the Flying Eagles invitee has scored eight goals in 11 appearances across the U18 Premier League, EFL Trophy, and UEFA Youth League.
His UEFA Youth League debut is another step in what has been a fast-rising trajectory for the young player.
Chelsea’s senior team struggle in Bergamo
While Chelsea’s youth side celebrated a win, the senior team faced disappointment in Bergamo.
In their UEFA Champions League match, Chelsea surrendered a lead to lose to Atalanta.
Source: Getty Images
Both teams entered the match with identical records, three wins, one draw, and one loss, but it was Atalanta who came from behind to claim victory.
Chelsea initially went ahead in the first half when Joao Pedro converted Reece James’ cross.
However, Atalanta’s forward line, including Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman, kept the Blues’ defence under pressure.
According to the BBC, Gianluca Scamacca levelled with a header, and Charles de Ketelaere netted the winner late in the game. Chelsea tried to salvage a point, but Marco Carnesecchi’s save denied Pedro’s effort.
Maresca laments after Chelsea’s defeat
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca admitted his team struggled to maintain control after the first goal.
“First half we were winning, we were good controlling the game. Probably the two goals we conceded in a short time, two easy goals that we could both avoid,” Maresca was quoted by Sky Sports.
The defeat leaves Chelsea outside the top eight automatic qualification spots for the knockouts, dropping them to 11th with two league phase games remaining.
Atalanta’s win moved them up to third, three points ahead of Chelsea, highlighting the tight competition as the group stage nears its conclusion.
Despite the senior team’s setback, Ezenwata’s performance offers a bright spark for Chelsea’s youth setup and provides the Nigerian-eligible forward with invaluable UEFA experience ahead of his international commitments.
3 Nigerians shine for Chelsea’s youth team
In another development, Legit.ng reported that Chelsea’s youth team produced another standout performance at the weekend as the Blues cruised to a 3-0 victory over Ipswich Town in the Under-18 Premier League on December 6, 2025.
The match at Playford Road also featured a strong showing from three academy players of Nigerian descent: Landon Emenalo, Tayo Subuloye, and Flying Eagles invitee Chizaram Ezenwata.
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Source: Legit.ng
