Chelsea 1-1 Schalke
Chelsea failed to take their chances in a frustrating Champions League opener, where they dropped a lead and two points at home to Schalke.
The visiting Germans, labouring under their worst Bundesliga stary for half a century, took a while to turn up but were eventually good value for the draw.
Chelsea's Champions League legend Didier Drogba was selected to start his first game of a second spell with the club.
And Chelsea had a great start.
With 11 minutes showing, Cesc Fabregas went for a somewhat industrial challenge on Max Meyer, which sent the Schalke man tumbling in pain.
Usually a yellow for the Chelsea man in such circumstances, but referee Ivan Bebek seemed to miss it.
The ball spilled to Eden Hazard who went on a mazy run, before laying back to Fabregas to slot it beyond Ralf Fahrmann and give Blues the lead.
Chelsea moved the ball around well. Almost whenever they did, it was Hazard who was at the heart of it.
But, truth be told, things were not hooking up well for Drogba.
Chelsea got a bit of a fright six minutes before the break when Kevin-Prince Boateng, on a yellow card and working his way towards an ASBO, turned his brute force towards the ball – the ensuing long-shot forcing a fine save from Thibaut Courtois.
And right on the break, Julian Draxler ran almost unimpeded from the half-way line before shooting wide – Chelsea's defence seemingly offering him a friendly escort.
The game remained more than a bit tepid after the break.
Drogba, yet to make an impression on the match, came close from the right on the hour – just firing across the goalmouth to an audible gasp from the crowd.
Moments later the action switched to the other end, as Schalke broke from a Fabregas error.
Draxler ran onwards, defenders again treating him with kid gloves, before passing to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar – who received much the same treatment, before putting it away.
Chelsea looked well off their game, and changes were needed.
Drogba came off, as did Willian – to be replaced by Diego Costa and Loic Remy.
The switch very nearly had an immediate impact – Remy's first effort looking all but in until it was headed off the line by Roman Neustadter.
Chelsea pushed up more resources.
Hazard punted over the bar when he really should have scored. And then, moments later, his outstretched boot looked to have found a winner from a Fabregas cross – only for Fahrmann to save.
Chelsea gave it one final push - for a series of late corners which saw them pack out their visitors' box, to no avail.
But it wasn't to be – and Schalke celebrated their point like a victory.
Chelsea's opening salvo in this supposedly easy group was far from impressive – results are needed in home games, particularly when their next Champions League date is with Sporting in Lisbon.
