Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Barcelona’s African duo, midfielders Seydou Keita (29) and Yaya Toure (26) are among five finalists for the 2009 African Footballer of the Year award, which is organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The three others nominees for the award are Chelsea forward and Ivorian international Didier Drogba (31), Chelsea midfielder and Ghanaian international Michael Essien (27) and former Barcelona player and Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto’o (28), who plays for Cameroon.

The great season of Barcelona echoes from the choices, since three of the nominees played for Barcelona in the last season. The winner will be announced 25th of February at the awards gala, and will be decided by the votes of the national federation selectors.

The current holder of the title is Manchester City’s Togolese forward, Emmanuel Adebayor, who won it when he was still playing for another EPL side, Arsenal.