Michael Essien on red alert

Michael Essien

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has vowed to lay hands on the Champions League trophy next month.

The London side play Liverpool in the second leg of their quarter-final on Tuesday with a 3-1 first leg lead. But Essien respects Liverpool and is still cautious about his team's right to proceed to the next round of European football's most coveted club prize.

Essien does not want a repeat of the penalty shoot out heartbreak that he and his team mates endured against Manchester United last May.

“With the Premiership, we just have to win and see what happens but, like every member of the squad, I want to win the Champions League especially after how close we were last season,” said Essien.

The second leg at Stamford Bridge promises to be another tight, tense occasion. Essien, a Ghana international, certainly will not be taking anything for granted.

“Some say the fixture is becoming boring because we have had to play Liverpool every season for some time now, but that is the way it goes and we must accept it,” said the former Lyon star.

Essien was absent from Chelsea's side for a large part of this season due to injury, but has proved what a valuable player he is to the team with exceptional performances since his return.

Essien was on the pitch for the full 120 minutes of the epic final in Moscow that United won on penalties, and the Ghanaian insists the memories of that night are still painful and fresh.