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Atletico Madrid got their Champions League campaign off to a poor start with a 0-0 draw at home to Group D minnows Apoel Nicosia.

The Spanish side were second best for much of the encounter and were it not for some poor finishing from the Cypriot champions could have fallen to a surprise defeat.

Constantinos Charalambides was twice guilty of passing up gilt-edged chances in the first half, while Apoel keeper Dionissis Chiotis was on top form to deny Atletico at the other end.

Sergio Aguero was thwarted by the visitors' shot-stopper in the first half while Diego Forlan hit the crossbar after the break as the Apoel were forced to hang on in a frenetic end to the encounter.

Atletico began sluggishly and struggled to keep possession as the Cypriot champions hustled and harried all over the pitch.

The Madrid club boast an array of attacking talent, but it was the Group D underdogs who looked the more likely to break the deadlock which they should have done with only seven minutes of the game gone.

Charalambides got on the end of a curling cross from kamil Kosowski but with the goal at his mercy he fired straight at Atletico keeper Sergio Asenjo.

A first-half lead would have been no less than the visitors deserved but despite having the upper hand for most of the opening 45 minutes, they could have found themselves behind had keeper Chiotis not been in top form.

The visitors' shot-stopper denied Sergio Aguero midway through the first half with an excellent save after the Argentine forward had bundled his way through and six minutes before the break he pulled off another fine stop to deny Jose Jurado.

Charalambides should have made amends for his earlier miss three minutes before the break, but again fluffed his lines in front of goal firing wide from six yards when a deep cross found him unmarked at the far post.

Atletico began to assume control after the break and Chiotis was called into action with fine saves to deny Jose Jurado and then Forlan within ten minutes of the restart.

And when Atletico did finally beat the Apoel keeper, the woodwork came to their rescue with Forlan smashing a dipping, swerving shot against the bar late in the second half.

But it was Chiotis who had the final say, as he pulled off a brilliant save in injury time, parrying an effort from Forlan back across his goal and away from the on-rushing Simao.

Toby Davis / Eurosport