From his official website..
Torres: “The club is a specialist when it comes to this tournament”
In an interview with the sports programme ‘El Tirachinas’, on Spanish radio station ‘Cadena COPE’, Fernando Torres looks back at his time so far at the Anfield club and looks forward to the Champions League.
The Liverpool number 9 cannot wait to continue defending the famous red shirt across Europe. “My team-mates were quite surprised that I had never played in the Champions League. I hope that this will be first time lucky for me because this club is a specialist when it comes to this tournament. It would be great that the run continues as I would love the chance to play in big matches and to take part in the latter stages of the competition.”
The striker has found it easy to settle in following his summer move to Liverpool. “Things here are obviously not the same, because I am in another country, with a different culture and style of football. Everything from training to kick-off times is different and you need a bit of time to adapt to the ways things are done here. I am learning quickly and my team-mates have played an important role, along with everyone at the club who have all gone out of their way to help me. I feel as if I have been at Liverpool for a long time.”
“I intend to stay here for many years to come and I am really pleased with everything: my team-mates, the fans, the city, the stadium, and of course with my first goal at Anfield versus Chelsea. The experience is more fulfilling when things work out, and if we can maintain our recent form, I am sure that everything will continue to move along nicely.”
The Spanish international recalls his first day at the Mellwood training ground. “It was all new to me. I had only ever trained with Atletico and the Spanish national team. I did not know what to expect, but I have to say that it was great to see how everybody got on and the way that both Gerrard and Carragher looked after the new arrivals. The two have been at the club for a long time and know just what a player needs to settle in quickly. We all have the same objective and from your first day you are made to feel as one of the team.”
Torres’ hopes that Liverpool will not look back and rue the two points lost at Anfield versus the Blues. “In the Premiership every point counts because the league goes down to the wire. The two extra points we could have picked up against Chelsea might not seem that important two weeks into the season, but they could be key when we move into the final straight.”
In the short time he has been playing in England, the forward has already seen several differences between football in the Premiership and back home. “Diving or looking for a freekick is frowned upon here by everyone, including your own fans and team-mates. There is a lot more contact between players, unlike in Spain, were strong challenges, barging and basically physical football, is normally blown up for a foul. Back home there are ways and tricks used to win a freekick, but they are not used here. Referees let the play flow a lot more.”
“The matches are also played at a fast pace and are end-to-end during the whole 90 minutes. You have no time to take your foot off the peddle because you never get those two or three minutes to stop and catch your breath. I am not having problems settling in, but when you look at my team-mates, I am still quite a bit off the pace.”
Fernando has been very impressed with the supporters. “The fans here are more passionate, but they acknowledge the rival team if they play better. The supporters clap the other side, and you would never see that in Spain.”
The Liverpool forward also had words for Antonio Puerta and his family. “I saw the images of the Seville and Real Betis fans pay their last respects; they were alongside the presidents of both clubs, footballers, sportsmen and supporters….everyone was united as they said their last goodbye to Antonio Puerta. It is amazing how football can bring people together, though it is a shame that it only happens during moments like this. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and I hope that they recover soon from his loss, although there will always be a void impossible to fill left behind.”
