Chelsea legend Michael Essien to assist in UEFA Champions League group stage draw

• Former Ghana midfielder Michael Essien will assist in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League draw
• The event will be held in Turkey as teams find their groups for the competition
• This comes after Asamoah Gyan mounted the podium for the AFCON draw last week

Former Ghana and Chelsea player, Michael Essien, will assist in the conducting of the UEFA Champions League draw in Istanbul on Thursday, August 26, 2021.

The 2012 UEFA Champions League winner will be assisted by his former Blues teammate Branislav Ivanovic at the draw.

Chelsea, holders of the 2020/21 champions league, confirmed the participation of their legends on their official website.

"The draw for the 2021/22 Champions League group stage takes place on Thursday 26 August in Istanbul, Turkey from 5pm UK time. Chelsea legends Michael Essien and Branislav Ivanovic will be helping conduct the draw," wrote the club on their official website.

Michael Essien and Branislav Ivanovic were members of the Chelsea team that first won the club's UEFA Champions League in 2012.

Before 2012, Essien also helped the club to it's first ever champions league final in 2008, as the Blues lost to Manchester United in Russia.

Meanwhile, 32 team will be drawn into eight groups based in the current club seedings.

"A total of 32 teams compete in the Champions League group stage, 26 qualifying via their 2020/21 league position in domestic competition and a further six coming through the play-off round," continued Chelsea.com.

"The 32 teams are drawn into eight groups of four for the group stage and play each other both at home and away, with the top two advancing to the round of 16. Teams cannot face another side from their national association in the group stage."

Michael Essien becomes the second Ghanaian in a week to engage in a draw of a huge competition.

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported, legendary Ghanaian footballer, Asamoah Gyan, has arrived in the Cameroonian capital of Yaoundé, ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations draw.

Ghana's all time leading scorer has been invited as one of the legends to grace the occasion.

In a photo posted on Twitter by BBC journalist Mimi Fawaz and sighted by YEN.com.gh, the prolific forward is joined by Didier Zakora of Ivory Coast, as the stars start to arrive for the event.