Schalke's Champions League hopes hit
Schalke's hopes of a Champions League spot next season have been dented in a goalless draw at Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
Paderborn, meanwhile, remained in a relegation spot after a 2-0 defeat at Hertha Berlin, who moved further clear of danger.
Schalke stay fifth but moved further away from a Champions League qualifying slot after both Borussia Moenchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen won Saturday.
Fourth-placed Leverkusen, who beat Hamburg 4-0, are eight points clear of Schalke, whose best bet for next season now appears to be a Europa League place.
Augsburg, who before the game extended coach Markus Weinzierl's contract by two years until 2019, stay sixth, now two points ahead of Hoffenheim.
Ralf Faehrmann was back in goal for Schalke after a partial cruciate ligament tear sidelined him for two-a-half months.
The Schalke keeper though had a fairly quiet afternoon in a game neither side really looked like winning.
The visitors had the slightly better of the few chances, with Joel Matip heading narrowly wide after 10 minutes and Klaas Jan Huntelaar firing straight at keeper Marwin Hitz after the break.
Augsburg's Raul Bobadilla, who had shot wide before the interval, twice curled free-kicks just over the bar, and Tobias Werner shot straight at Faehrmann from 20 metres as the home side enjoyed a stronger closing spell.
"It was possible to win. We were the better side in the first half but we have to be satisfied with the point," Weinzierl told Sky television.
Schalke coach Roberto di Matteo said he felt his side were the more likely to score.
"Augsburg were dangerous from set pieces but I thought we controlled the game fairly well," he told Sky.
Schalke would not be writing off hopes of Champions League qualification yet, he said.
"We must try as hard as we can. The position now is not easy but we have a home game next week (against Freiburg) and have to get the points," he said.
In Berlin, Valentin Stocker struck a 68th-minute opener for Hertha against Paderborn before Nico Schulz made it two in the 88th.
Swiss midfielder Stocker found the roof of the net from close range after Lukas Kruse in goal tipped a Marvin Plattenhardt free-kick onto the bar.
Schulz was on hand at the far post to volley in Hertha's second after Peter Pekarik crossed from the right.
Paderborn remain second last on 24 points, one behind Hamburg and one ahead of bottom side VfB Stuttgart.
Hertha improve to 11th on 32 points.
