Torres excited by future after Chelsea talks
Reuters - Thursday 24 May 2012, 18:21
Chelsea striker Fernando Torres
has put a difficult season behind him and is itching to be part
of the European champions' future plans, the player said on
Thursday following talks with the club's hierarchy.
Torres voiced his concerns after being left out of Chelsea's
starting line-up for last weekend's Champions League final
victory over Bayern Munich, saying he had been close to throwing
in the towel.
"My goal was to talk to them at the end of the season, I
needed to know what plans they had for me," Torres said in an
interview published on his personal website.
"We've talked and now I have no doubt what they expect of
Fernando Torres. I just want to start next season as soon as
possible."
The 28-year-old moved to Chelsea from Liverpool in January
2011 for 50 million pounds but has struggled to rediscover the
scoring touch that made him one of the hottest properties in the
market.
"It was a mental block, I felt really bad," he said. "I felt
great on the pitch this season because I have become a more
complete player, but the ball did not go in. I felt I was never
in the correct position."
The news that talismanic striker Didier Drogba was leaving
Stamford Bridge may have opened the door for a more regular
place in Chelsea's starting line up, but Torres did not see it
that way.
"I can only wish him [Drogba] the best and I feel proud to
have shared so much with him," Torres said. "I want to play with
the best and he is one of the best. I do not understand why it
has to be one or the other, and not both."
Torres was left out of the Spain squad for their last
friendly against Venezuela in February, when the man called up
in his place, Valencia's Roberto Soldado, scored a hat-trick,
and the pacy forward's place at Euro 2012 looked to be in doubt.
However, coach Vicente del Bosque brought him back into the
fold on Monday, and he is likely to make the final cut when the
world and European champions announce their 23-man squad for
Poland and Ukraine on Sunday.
"I saw myself out [of the squad]," Torres added. "I never
received a call with such enthusiasm.
"Spain has earned the role of being favorite and we have to
accept it, but it is worthless because you have to prove it on
the field of play.
"Three titles in a row is something no one has done before.
If we can achieve that we will be a world reference because
people will talking about this generation for many years to
come."