Mourinho hails exceptional Essien

Chelsea 4 Real Betis 0

Essien, who cost the Blues £24.4 million, ran the game from start to finish for the Barclays Premiership champions, who now top Group G thanks to their rout of the Spaniards at Stamford Bridge.

Goals from Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho gave Chelsea a priceless advantage at the interval and they completed the demolition job with further strikes from Joe Cole and substitute Hernan Crespo.