Essien: Blues ready for long Euro road

MICHAEL ESSIEN accepts Chelsea still have plenty of hard work ahead of them as the Barclays Premier League leaders set their sights on conquering Europe.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men have started the new campaign in the way they finished the last, with a 100% record from their opening four games, and have conceded just one goal.

Chelsea embark on the quest to lift the European Cup at Wembley in May with a trip to Slovakian minnows MSK Zilina tomorrow, where the Blues could be without both captain John Terry, because of a rib injury, and midfielder Frank Lampard, just back from a hernia operation, as well as the suspended Didier Drogba.