Essien handed two-match ban

CHELSEA midfielder Michael Essien has been given a two-match ban by UEFA for last week’s horror tackle on Liverpool’s Dietmar Hamann.

Essien will miss both home and away legs of the Blues’ next Champion League clashes.

The Ghana international has been punished for a studs-first lunge on Hamann, catching the midfielder just below the knee as Liverpool held Chelsea to a goalless draw in their final Group G match at Stamford Bridge.

Hamann later described the challenge as the worst he had suffered in his career, which went unnoticed by German official Herbert Fandel.

That led to UEFA studying video evidence of the incident.