Essien,Belletti Join Legends Match May 18

Ghana’s Michael Essien and Juliano Belletti are the two former Chelsea legends who will face Inter Forever on Friday 18 May, a game to honour the memory of Ray Wilkins.

Essien and Juliano Belletti, each members of the Double-winning side of Blues 2010 team will have , follow Michael Ballack and Eidur Gudjohnsen as the latest figures to sign up for the match.

Essien, who spent nine years as a Chelsea player between 2005 and 2014, scored 25 times in 256 appearances in our colours.

Chelsea Player of the Year in 2006/07, he twice scored our Goal of the Season, a long-range net buster to earn a point against Arsenal and the unstoppable volley against Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League semi-final.

Belletti arrived from the Spanish giants in 2007, and became a cult hero with Chelsea fans thanks to his eye for a spectacular goal, notably against London rivals Tottenham.

Both men are looking forward to donning the Chelsea blue once more, and all for a good cause.

‘It will be great to come “home” to Stamford Bridge and see the Chelsea fans and some of my team-mates again,’ Essien said. ‘It will be a great match and I hope we can put on a great show in memory of my great buddy, Ray Wilkins.’

Belletti added: ‘It is always fantastic to come together with old friends and team-mates to play football. I visited Stamford Bridge recently and can’t wait to be back on the pitch.

Ray Wilkins was so good for the team in 2010, and we are so thankful for what he helped us achieve. He is an important man in the history of Chelsea, so we have to celebrate his life at this match.’

The pair join an ever-growing list of former Blues preparing to take on some of Inter’s finest ex-players, with Gianfranco Zola, Marcel Desailly, Frank Leboeuf, Roberto Di Matteo and Dennis Wise already on the team sheet for Friday 19 May.

Source: Chelsea FC