Schalke 04 have been unable to find a way through against a dangerous Maribor as their hopes of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League remain in the balance.

The Royal Blues, who need to win and hope that Sporting Lisbon lose at Chelsea, made clear their intentions in the opening minutes as Tranquillo Barnetta's strike from the edge of the box was only just wide of Jasmin Handanovic's goal.

Moments later, Roberto Di Matteo's men were almost beaten as Mitja Viler's through-ball found Aqim Ibraimi in a good attacking position, but his effort was too high to trouble Ralf Fahrmann.

Marcos Tavares then had Maribor's best chance of the opening quarter as he latched on to Peter Stojanovic's cross, only to see his low shot saved by Fahrmann.

Barnetta was presented with another opportunity midway through the half as Marco Hoger delivered a threatening ball into the area, but his header was the wrong side of the post.

Maribor appeared to grow in confidence and could have broken the deadlock just after the half-hour mark when Sintayehu Sallalich's low drive was kept out by an increasingly besieged Fahrmann in the Schalke goal.

However, Schalke continued to probe in attack themselves and last weekend's hat-trick hero Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting twice came close to giving the German outfit the lead late in the half, but was denied by Handanovic.

At the other end, Fahrmann was again called on moments before the interval as he tipped away Ibraimi's well-struck shot.

Written by
Chris O'Keefe