Chelsea faced media criticism for the decision to start veteran striker Didier Drogba as they began their Champions League campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Schalke.
- Worrall: Drogba disappoints against Schalke
- Brewin: Chelsea fail to finish
Drogba had left Chelsea in 2012 after scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich but returned this summer to bolster Jose Mourinho's striking options.
With Jose Mourinho revealing the in-form Diego Costa could not start due to fitness issues, 36-year-old Drogba was selected in attack ahead of Loic Remy, and his failure to fire was highlighted in several newspapers.
Matt Hughes, writing in The Times, said: "Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, the goalscorer, and most crucially Didier Drogba all missed straightforward chances as Chelsea's biggest weakness in last season's competition returned to haunt them -- profligacy in front of goal.
"Much of this can be attributed to the absence of Diego Costa, who Mourinho revealed afterwards is incapable of playing three games in a week because of his hamstring problem, and a fitful performance from Drogba on his first start since returning to the club in the summer.
"His Second Coming at Stamford Bridge could still turn out to be a wonderful fairytale, but this was an inauspicious start as his performance reflected the reality rather than the legend, that of a 36-year-old starting his first match since June."
In The Sun, Rob Beasley described the Ivorian as "one of the main culprits as the Blues squandered a host of opportunities."
He added that Chelsea's "perfect start petered out in alarming fashion as Mourinho's men kicked off their Group G campaign with Drogba up top and Costa on the bench. It was not pretty viewing from the sidelines. Not for the manager, the subs, or the fans."
Thursday's Sun back page - "Back Pain" #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/tiW9o70LXi
- Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) September 17, 2014
Martin Lipton also suggested in the Daily Mirror that Drogba's time may have passed.
"Lesson One, for the 'Special One': there's no place for sentiment in football," he wrote. "As Mourinho knows, more than anyone, making a false start in the quest for the ultimate European glory is not necessarily fatal.
"Both in 2003, when he was at Porto, and six years later with Inter, opening group phase draws were followed by sheer delight eight months later. But if Chelsea are to be running round Berlin's Olympic Stadium in triumph in May, if their fans will be congregating in front of the Brandenburg Gate, they will need to be watching Diego Costa, not Didier Drogba.
"Last night, as Mourinho handed a first Chelsea start since Munich to Drogba, leaving both Costa and Loic Remy on the bench until it became desperation time, the price was paid."
Dominic Fifield called it "a strangely fitful performance from the Premier League leaders" in The Guardian and wrote: "The sight of Schalke players celebrating wildly on the turf at the final whistle, all hugs and punches of the air, while the hosts skulked off down the tunnel told its own story."
In Germany, there was a sense of surprise that Schalke -- having lost twice in the league and once in the DFB-Pokal -- were able to get a result despite being heavily depleted by injury.
"All the Schalke fans had expected severe punishment at Chelsea," Bild wrote. "Because nine players were missing. But the Royal Blues surprised all of Europe, and with a B-ream achieved a sensational 1-1 draw."
The tabloid also highlighted the fact that Chelsea's goal came after "reserve ref" Ivan Bebek failed to award a free kick for an apparent foul by Cesc Fabregas but added: "No Schalke player really cared about that after the final whistle -- they all celebrated the sensational point against Mourinho's Chelsea stars."
The injured Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes also celebrated, writing on Twitter: "Mourinho vs Keller 1-1. Thanks lads, I am very proud of you."
Mourinho vs. Keller 1:1. Danke Jungs, bin sehr stolz auf Euch! :)
- Benedikt Höwedes (@BeneHoewedes) September 17, 2014
The broadsheet FAZ headlined its coverage: "FC Schalke steals point in London."
Its report added: "The brilliantly battling B-team got out of the affair against title candidates FC Chelsea more than honourably." The paper praised Schalke's "dedication, morale and the team unit" and said the under-fire coach Jens Keller "catches a break for now."
Die Welt said: "They feared a debacle. But then Schalke 04 surprised Chelsea with a courageous performance. That the match resulted in a draw was down to one player's strong performance in particular."
That player, according to the paper, was Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who equalised after 62 minutes. However, most of the other German media singled out midfielder Julian Draxler as the man of the match.
"Draxler took charge of midfield," kicker said, while local paper Der Westen also praised the 20-year-old, writing: "He put on his Champions League outfit."
"This result will do the Royal Blues good. It could be the first step on their path to recovery after a dismal start to the season," Der Westen added. "While the Chelsea coach was able to afford the luxury of benching top target man Diego Costa, and not even calling up World Cup winner Andre Schurrle, Schalke were on their last legs."