UCL | Atalanta 2-3 Athletic Club: Dea fall asleep and ruin big opportunity

Atalanta were totally dominating Athletic Club, only to crumble in the second half to a shock 3-1 defeat, putting Champions League top eight qualification in doubt.

La Dea were in a very strong position after four wins and a draw, including victories over Chelsea and Olympique Marseille. Scamacca was back to full fitness, with Ademola Lookman on the bench for the first time since the Africa Cup of Nations, but Raoul Bellanova was injured and Giacomo Raspadori ineligible. Athletic Club had an injury crisis on their hands, missing Nico Williams, Inaki Williams, Aymeric Laporte, Unai Egiluz, Alex Berenguer, Yuri Berchiche and Benat Prados. They had just one win, two draws and three defeats in the Champions League.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Gorka Guruzeta scuffed a shot from a promising position in the opening minute, but it was Atalanta who took the lead with their first real chance.

Nicola Zalewski floated in a cross from the left and Scamacca used his physicality to climb over Aitor Paredes for a towering header.

Atalanta take the lead over Athletic Club and it’s former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca who rises highest to head home ⚽️@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/uOJSO06BFX

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 21, 2026

Bernasconi bent a wonderful strike from the edge of the area to skim the far post, but the spectacular Unai Simon double save on Scamacca and Bernasconi was irrelevant due to the offside position.

Moments later, Scamacca did have the ball in the net, but Charles De Ketelaere was offside before rolling across the assist.

De Ketelaere came close again before half-time, his header on a Zalewski free kick smacking against the upright and ricocheting into the grateful arms of Unai Simon.

Atalanta continued to dominate with two big chances for Davide Zappacosta, who first forced a save, then drilled inches wide. At this point, they were third in the Champions League table.

However, Athletic Club equalised against the run of play when Guruzeta shrugged off his marker as Robert Navarro knocked down a long ball over the top and kept his cool to beat Marco Carnesecchi.

Athletic Club are level, and it’s Guruzeta with the cool finish, after going clear 😎@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/3xymlU0HPE

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 21, 2026

Ademola Lookman came off the bench for his first appearance of 2026, but incredibly the game was turned on its head entirely.

The defence fell asleep again and Nico Serrano was allowed to volley in the Navarro cross at the back post totally undisturbed.

The comeback is complete for Athletic Club, as they now take the lead as Nico Serrano makes an instant impact from the bench to volley home at the back post 🚀@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/ierLeuli6L

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 21, 2026

Atalanta crumbled and Athletic got a third, as Kossounou failed to cut out the Salcedo through ball, allowing Navarro to go clear on goal and beat Carnesecchi one-on-one.

A 2nd in 4 minutes for Athletic Club, and 3 on the night, as Robert Navarro fires home 🔥@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/K6HIlIxoxf

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 21, 2026

Lookman made an immediate impact on his comeback, as when a cross was flicked on to the far post by De Ketelaere, he generously knocked it back for Nikola Krstovic to tap in and make it 3-2.

An Atalanta comeback? 👀

5 minutes to go and Krstovic makes it 3-2 to give Atalanta hope…@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/9Imua9SyBn

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 21, 2026

Scamacca 16 (Ata), Guruzeta 58 (Ath), Serrano 70 (Ath), Navarro 74 (Ath), Krstovic 88 (Ata)