Ghana and Chelsea star Michael Essien has told setantasports.com in an exclusive interview that Black Stars will give everything they have to win "their" African Cup of Nations and revealed his dream final would be against Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast.
The Blues' key player Essien is on international duty in his homeland and started the competition with a last minute 2-1 victory against a courageous Guinea side thanks to a cracking Sulley Muntari long range effort."People think Ghana are favourites because we are playing at home but it doesn't guarantee to win in any competition in the world," Essien told setantasports.com.
"It is added pressure for the team but we are ready to fight to be champions. We have shown it during the first game against Guinea by playing until the end."
Essien has named his top five favourites for the title and he would love to face his Chelsea friend Drogba in the final.
"If we watch the other groups and analyse the other teams, I think that our major rivals are Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria and Egypt. The winner will come from the quintet," he added.
"A final against the Ivorian and with Didi (Didier Drogba) in the attacking lines would be a great battle on the field. Most of the players know each other from playing in Europe and it would make the game more intense.
"In the last few days at Chelsea Drogba told me to prepare myself because he is not going to offer us anything if we play each other in the Cup.
"The positive thing is that I know him well and I know some of his defects."
The African star is delighted to be able to represent his country during such a prestigious competition and he has underlined the fact that no major continental player has snubbed the event.
"Playing the ACN is a huge honour for an African player," he said.
"The proof is that everybody from the big names playing in European clubs is there. This trophy is highly rated and that is normal that everybody is present in Ghana. It means a lot.
"African football is improving each year and nobody can deny it. This Cup is a party for all the countries and an example of the quality of our football."
"We all know that the schedule is not right for the European clubs but it is not our fault," 'the Bison' added."Maybe those European clubs should put the pressure on Fifa to look at other dates that wouldn't be that annoying for them.
"In this period I can only help The Blues from long distance and watching the games on TV. I just hope that my team-mates continue to earn points in the league.
"We will be prepared to fight for every title possible when we'll return for the rest of the season. We want to win everything possible."
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