Essien wants Champions League success
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has said that his club's ambition to lift the Champions League trophy this season is realistic.
The 27-year-old Ghanian said the players at the club have begun to anticipate the big fixtures yet to come this season.
"As a player, you get the inner feeling that something big is around the corner and I feel the same way I felt last season when we won the double," Essien told the club's official website. "However, I am sure we can go one further and add the big one —the UEFA Champions League trophy — to our collection of trophies."
Chelsea have come close in Europe
Essien was instrumental in Chelsea's Champions League campaign during the 2007-2008 season, when the club reached the final in Moscow only to lose to Manchester United on penalties.
Last year, the midfielder scored a stunning volley against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the competition, but Chelsea failed to progress to the final after Andres Iniesta's late equaliser.
These disappointments have led to the Champions League becoming an unspoken priority in the Premier League champions' dressing room.
"As a team, we have won every domestic trophy and so it's only natural that we have the hunger for the European trophy. That is not to say we don't care about the Premier League, FA Cup or Carling Cup. We want to win every competition we enter this season and we will do all we can to win them all."
Wants another celebration
With the Premier League and domestic cups also in sight, Essien said he was eagerly anticipating another end-of-season celebration with his team-mates.
"I can't wait to hear the manager [Carlo Ancelotti] sing 'Paa-pa-pa-pa-pa-paa' again. It's the best Italian song I have heard since Pavarotti and it still makes me laugh even watching the DVD now."
Tags: