The former Ghana international played for both teams under Jose Mourinho and left his mark at both Stamford Bridge and the Santiago Bernabeu, albeit playing for just a single season in Spain.
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Michael Essien watches former clubs Real Madrid and Chelsea in Champions League
Michael Essien was a special guest as his former clubs Real Madrid and Chelsea locked horns in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
Michael Essien watches former clubs Real Madrid and Chelsea in Champions League
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Essien, a Champions League winner with Chelsea, was back at the Bernabeu as Real Madrid hosted the Blues in the quarter-final first-leg of Europe’s elite competition.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side proved too much for their English opponents, with goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio sealing a comfortable 2-0 victory.
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Chelsea struggled for much of the game and it went from bad to worse when Ben Chilwell was sent off early in the second half after a second yellow card.
Coincidentally, Essien was a teammate of Chelsea’s interim boss Frank Lampard and also played under Ancelotti when the Italian managed the Blues in 2009.
Meanwhile, Essien enjoyed a trophy-laden career which lasted over a decade and a half following his breakout year at Lyon, where he won two Ligue 1 titles.
He became Chelsea’s record signing when the club forked out £24.4 million to price him away from Lyon in 2005.
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He spent almost a decade at Stamford Bridge, helping the Blues to win two Premier League and FA Cup titles, four FA Cups and the UEFA Champions League in 2012.
The 40-year-old also had stints with Real Madrid and AC Milan before calling time on his career after a brief spell with Azerbaijani side Sabail FK.
Essien has since taken to management and is currently serving as a first-team assistant coach at Danish side FC Nordsjaelland.
He also recently acquired both the UEFA A and UEFA Elite Youth A licenses.
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