Salomon Kalou hit the crossbar with the goal gaping while Joe Cole, Claudio Pizarro and Andriy Shevchenko were all denied by Santiago Canizares as Chelsea laid siege to the Valencia goal.

Cole told ITV4: "We had enough chances and played some good stuff but we couldn't put it in the back of the net.

"It was a good exercise for us."

The Blues maintained their unbeaten home record and Cole added: "It's a great record. We need to carry on winning here and pick up our away form."

Goalkeeper Petr Cech made his first appearance since the Schalke game last month and said: "I feel fit. I think we played brilliant football. It was not about me."

mfl