Michael Essien, handpicked by Clarence Seedorf to anchor the midfield, is slated to kick off tonight against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16. Filling in for the suspended Riccardo Montolivo, the Ghanaian international aims to fortify the defensive line. Drawing from his experience with Real Madrid, Essien relies on the team’s cohesion to overcome their adversaries.
“Atlético Madrid poses formidable challenges, and we anticipate an intense match tomorrow (Wednesday). What sort of environment awaits us remains uncertain. Nevertheless, we must remain focused solely on our game, undeterred by external factors,” remarked the midfielder for the Reds and Blacks.
