As a self-styled aesthete, Avram Grant wants to make Chelsea the most attractive team in the world while continuing to win trophies, although he can be grateful that his players have not cast off the resilience instilled by his more pragmatic predecessor. The visiting team needed all their fortitude and considerable fortune last night to escape with a goalless draw that keeps them top of group B, needing only one win from their final two matches to reach the knockout phase.

How they retreated from the Rhineland intact is a mystery, however, as Schalke 04 hit the bar and a post, had two shots cleared off the line and were denied by good saves from two goalkeepers after Carlo Cudicini replaced Petr Cech, who hobbled off at half-time with a calf injury that will be examined today. For the first time in Grant’s 11-match reign as first-team coach, Chelsea were overrun, surprisingly so, given that their opponents had only five fit men on the bench because of injuries that have left them without a win in five matches.

Grant refused to condemn his players, however, saying: “It was not our best performance, but it was not a bad game for us. Everything is in our hands and I’m very happy with that.”

With Chelsea having dropped points in their first match against Rosenborg at Stamford Bridge, which proved to be José Mourinho’s last in charge, their position remains favourable, although they will have to improve considerably if they harbour hopes of winning the competition. Grant has stuck to the substance of Mourinho’s system while seeking to add more style, although both were absent last night in their worst performance of the season.

The impressive Ivan Rakitic was allowed to dominate midfield as Claude Makelele’s ageing legs appeared to be catching up with him, while Gerald Asamoah and Mesut Ozil gave Wayne Bridge and Juliano Belletti a torrid time on the flanks, though in mitigation Florent Malouda and Joe Cole offered precious little protection. Even Frank Lampard was anonymous on another difficult trip to the AufSchalke Arena, with Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho the only outfield players to perform anywhere near their potential.

Chelsea began with the confidence that one would expect from a side who have won seven successive matches but, in between Manuel Neuer’s saves from Drogba in the sixth and 42nd minutes, found themselves on the back foot. Belletti attacks like a true Brazilian, as he demonstrated with his wonderful goal against Wigan Athletic, but unfortunately he defends like one, too. The former Barcelona full back’s desire to get forward left space at the back that enabled Schalke to take control, with Cech making good saves from Ozil and Heiko Westermann in the space of a minute.

Such warning signs were not heeded as Schalke were allowed to pour forward with impunity. Westermann again got the better of Belletti and Cole to bring another brilliant save from Cech, Marcelo Bordon heading wide from the resultant corner, but it was a rare error from the goalkeeper that presented the home side with their best chance.

Cech’s failure to claim Rakitic’s right-wing corner led to a goalmouth scramble in which he picked up the calf injury, the danger finally being averted when Belletti cleared Westermann’s shot off the line.

Chelsea’s problems increased when Cech was deemed unfit to continue after the interval, leaving Cudicini to keep a labouring team level. Rakitic caused most of the problems, playing a wonderful through-pass to Ozil only to watch the Germany Under21 midfield player shoot straight at the goalkeeper, before being denied by Cudicini himself with a good save at his near post.

With his side under siege, Grant responded with a positive substitution reminiscent of Mourinho, bringing on John Obi Mikel and moving Michael Essien to right back, and the latter made a crucial contribution when he headed Soren Larsen’s shot off the line after Rafinho had hit the bar. Peter Løvenkrands, a substitute, finally beat Cudicini but saw his shot rebound off the inside of a post late on, summing up Schalke’s misfortune.

Chelsea can make amends by beating Rosenborg in three weeks’ time, though given the freezing temperatures expected in Trondheim, Grant’s beautiful game may have to wait.

Group B

Schalke 04 (4-2-3-1): M Neuer – Rafinha, M Bordon, M Krstajic, H Westermann – J Jones, Z Bajramovic – G Asamoah, I Rakitic, M Ozil (sub: P Løvenkrands, 60min) – S Larsen. Substitutes not used: M Schober, C Grossmüller, B Howedes, M Azaouagh. Booked: Rakitic.

Chelsea (4-3-3): P Cech (sub: C Cudicini, 46) – J Belletti (sub: J O Mikel, 64), R Carvalho, Alex, W Bridge – M Essien, C Makelele, F Lampard – J Cole, D Drogba, F Malouda (sub: S Wright-Phillips, 79). Substitutes not used: A Shevchenko, C Pizarro, S Kalou, T Ben Haim.

Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland).