Chelsea are still waiting for a £220 million ($284 million) spending spree to pay off as Frank Lampard’s men began their Champions League campaign with an uninspiring 0-0 draw against Sevilla at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have now won just two of their opening six games of the season and the only consolation of a cagey encounter for Lampard was a rare clean sheet.
With Champions League debutants Rennes and Krasnodar making up Group E, both sides were happy to settle for a point against what they will perceive as their toughest opponents in the section.
Chelsea’s defensive problems were exposed as they blew the lead twice to draw 3-3 for the second time in five Premier League games this season to Southampton on Saturday.
But with Edouard Mendy back from injury to take the place of the error-strewn Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal, the Blues were far more solid against a Sevilla side that has lost just twice in their last 27 matches.
Mendy only had one serious save to make when Nemanja Gudelj’s header was deflected by Kurt Zouma and the Senegalese stopper had to react quickly to swat the ball to safety.
Sevilla were without highly-rated centre-back Jules Kounde, who attracted interest from Manchester City last month, due to a coronavirus infection.