Make sure your passports are in date – our European adventure continues into the new year! That’s the take home message from Stamford Bridge tonight.

And it is messages rather than memories that most present will be taking away from a rather lifeless game. However a point is all that was needed to guarantee a place in the last 16 knockout of the Champions League and a point is what we achieved.

Speaking of points, Chelsea can point to two strikes against the woodwork plus chances for Hernan Crespo in the first minute of both halves, and an extraordinary miss by Adrian Mutu at the death as evidence that this was a game that could, and should have been won.

Sparta Prague’s point of view will be that they came to keep things tight with a five man midfield and that they did defended well. In doing so they have kept their qualification hopes alive so who can argue that their game plan was flawed.

From the off Chelsea did not lack possession but for most of the game we did lack that little touch of guile needed on such evenings.

Just one goal would almost certainly have made a big difference to the course of events and it almost came with the Champions League centre-circle banner still being folded pitchside.

From the opening attack Crespo collected a long ball behind most of the defence but rather than pass, he attempt to beat the last defender and the keeper collected off his toes.

An early buzz went up around the Bridge but we had to wait 20 minutes for more action. This time Joe Cole, playing on the left of a midfield diamond, advanced and laid the ball back to Lampard who drove not too far over from distance.

Then Chelsea found the net. Damien Duff’s eel-like runs always looked the most likely way of finding holes in the Prague barricade but this time it was a chip towards the far post that almost paid off.

It was just the sort of ammunition Crespo craves and his powerful header crashed off the crossbar and down. A Prague defender attempted to chest back to his keeper with Mutu just inches away and when the Chelsea man intercepted, the ball fell to Crespo again who slammed it in. He was ruled offside however.

In similar style to Duff, Cole almost set-up Mutu but his flicked header lacked both power and direction and then Prague had their one true chance - Sionko heading wide after beating Wayne Bridge to a Michalik cross.

As half-time approached, Cole tried his luck with a low shot from distance which may or may not have been creeping inside the post. Keeper Blazek took no chances and dived to block.

Throughout the first 45 minutes, Claudio Ranieri was not backward in showing his displeasure with some aspects of his team’s performance (the same also the case for his counterpart, Jiri Kotrba) and no doubt the half-time team talk was a little tasty.

The Chelsea head coach opted to change neither team shape nor personnel at the break however and those he left on almost repaid the faith instantly.

Mutu got away down the left (the flank that saw almost all Chelsea attacks) and found Duff. His shot was blocked but it fell to Crespo who with quickness of thought back-heeled goalwards. It went a foot or so wide.

Makelele attempted to join Mario Melchiot in the collectors’ item stakes for this week when he volleyed wide from 35 yards and then a Sparta dribble into our area was countered with swift break that had Mutu stretching but just missing out to the keeper in a race for the ball.

With 20 minutes to go, the time for changes did arrive. Prague made one swap while Chelsea went for two – Geremi replacing Cole and Crespo making way for Gudjohnsen. Diamonds are forever though, or for this game at least, and the team shape remained untouched.

Still Chelsea searched for inspiration and it has to be said a Stamford Bridge crowd of 40,152 did little to provide the spark. It appeared qualification was being taken for granted.

Mutu was at least lively and a lovely reverse pass of his let in Lampard but last ditch tackles snuffed out the shooting chance. Then with ten minutes to go the woodwork was dirtied again.

Geremi produced the first free-kick of the night with venom, driving towards the far-post from the left. John Terry rose and met it firmly, heading back across the face of the net. As William Gallas stooped in a valiant attempt to head in, the ball skimmed his knee and then skimmed the face of the post.

Sparta had upped the tempo of their passing in the closing stages and played a few hopeful balls forward but the pace of Gallas and the aerial power of Terry, plus diligent covering from Melchiot and Bridge kept things comfortably tight.

The draw we needed looked well within reach, the only question being whether the win could be dug out to ease our way to finishing top of the group.

Duff tricked his way through and tried to find Mutu but as the ball was cleared Lampard was brought down 20 yards out. Geremi’s free-kick was a couple of yards over with the keeper covering.

Then with stoppage time beginning came the moment that should have wrapped things up. A quick counter began and Duff passed inside to Gudjohnsen in the centre-circle. Mutu timed his break to perfection and Gudjohnsen judged his through ball equally well.

The racing Romanian drove on, steadied himself, but to everyone’s astonishment shot someway wide. Plenty of chance to make amends in four days time!