MADRID: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho returned to Spain with an ultra-defensive approach as his team earned a 0-0 draw with surprise Champions League semi-finalists Atletico Madrid in a first leg lacking in excitement at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday.

The stalemate, which Atletico coach Diego Simeone believes gives Chelsea a slight advantage in next week’s return at Stamford Bridge, came at a cost for the 2012 winners, however.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech was ruled out for the season after hurting his elbow, captain John Terry limped off with an ankle injury and midfielders Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel earned bookings that mean they are suspended for the second leg.

Atletico, through to the last four of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in 40 years, dominated their defence-minded visitors and pushed hard for a goal but failed to carve out the advantage they wanted.

“We’re not happy with the draw since we wanted to win at all costs. We’re left with a bad taste in our mouth even if the series is still open,” Atletico captain Gabi, who was booked and will also be suspended for the return at Stamford Bridge, told TVE.

“We knew they didn’t want to concede, but we tried to score through our best attacking football.”

Chelsea’s Spain fullback Azpilicueta said: “A positive result. We knew it would be a difficult atmosphere.

“We fought hard and tried to keep the ball but the important thing is that we have the second leg at home. The players we will be missing are very important but we will fight to win.”

Back in the Spanish capital for the first time since quitting Atletico’s city rivals Real at the end of last season, Mourinho set out to thwart the home team rather than attack them and the result means his side will be favourites to advance to next month’s final in Lisbon.

The Londoners lost Cech when he fell heavily and hurt his right elbow in the 15th minute but neither his replacement Mark Schwarzer nor Atletico keeper Thibaut Courtois, on loan from Chelsea, were genuinely tested in a drab affair.

Veteran Australian keeper Schwarzer became the oldest player to appear in the knockout stages of the Champions League in doing so at the age of 41.

“It happened very quickly, but I’m getting used to it,” Schwarzer told ITV . “I just tried to do my job but like all the others I was up for it. We knew if we could match their determination our quality would shine through.”

Atletico, who are top of La Liga and haven’t been this far in Europe’s top competition since 1974, nearly broke through in the final 15 minutes as Raul Garcia and substitute Arda Turan sent headers wide, while Gabi and Diego Costa forced Schwarzer into saves.

But Chelsea looked too strong at the back, despite also losing Terry 18 minutes from time to an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the Premier League season.

“Petr Cech’s season is over, don’t ask me technically but his season is over. For John we’ll have to make the final for him to play again,” Mourinho told a news conference.

Mourinho hailed his players defensive efforts which allows them to play “the game of their life” when they host Atletico in eight days time.

“We had problems before the game, during the game and lost four players, two with injuries and two with yellow cards, but we will fight.

“Nobody starts a game thinking of a 0-0,” added the Portuguese, who ended his final season at Real without any major silverware after they lost to Atletico in the King’s Cup final.

“But the game goes in a certain direction where you feel you have to be safe and not concede, try to score in one of the chances you create. We had three or four corners and two free-kicks in dangerous positions. If we scored one of them the result would have been very good.

“We didn’t, and we go with a result where everything will be decided at Stamford Bridge,” said Mourinho, who added he now saw the Blues’ priority as being Europe rather than the Premier League, where they are five points behind Liverpool before facing the league leaders on Sunday.

Atletico boss Simeone, though, remains confident his side can reach only their second ever Champions League final next week.

“It was a classic example of a Champions League semi-final with both teams playing with their own objectives,” he said.

“Ours was to score, but they have a very good defence and defended very well. The tie is completely open. They are playing at home and will feel better after tonight, but we will see what happens.”