Chelsea 1 - 1 FC Schalke 04

Cesc Fabregas scored his first Chelsea goal but was unable to help Jose Mourinho's side to victory in their Champions League group-stage opener as they were held by Schalke.

The Spain midfielder, 27, who joined from Barcelona in the summer, swept in the opener from Eden Hazard's pass.

Didier Drogba shot wide when through before striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar drove in an equaliser after a counter.

Chelsea's Loic Remy had a shot cleared off the line as Schalke held on.

It was a deserved point for the German side, after an impressive defensive display as Chelsea pushed for a winner in the closing stages.

For Mourinho, the result was a disappointing one, especially after a storming start to the season in which his side won their opening four Premier League games.

But the Portuguese boss will be able to take heart from Chelsea's performance in the Champions League last season, when they lost their opening group game to Basel but went on to reach the semi-final.

Mourinho is aiming to become the first manager to win the Champions League with three separate clubs, having won it with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010.

However, he has not taken a side to the final in the last four years, exiting at the semi-final stage on each occasion.

And although he has not been involved in a final since 2010, Chelsea have, winning the tournament two years ago under Roberto Di Matteo, with 

Drogba scoring the decisive spot-kick in the final as they beat Bayern Munich on penalties.

Drogba, re-signed by Mourinho in the summer two years after he left the club, was handed his first start in the competition for Chelsea since that game, with seven-goal striker Diego Costa taking his place on the bench.

(BBC)

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