It’s been just over 48 hours since the Swiss surprised Spain in Durban, and in an interview for the newspaper La Razon, Fernando Torres confirmed that the European champions are ready to bounce back against Honduras on Monday night.

- Two days after losing to Switzerland, how’s the mood in the Spain camp?

Well, we are all a little disappointed as this start to our World Cup campaign was very unexpected.

- Can Spain bounce back from this defeat?

We are able to turn this situation around. We are ready.

- It was a shock losing to Switzerland...

We have to live in the present and forget the pessimism that surrounds Spain when they play at the World Cup. The defeat has not sent us home, as luckily it arrived in our first game.

- So we are still optimistic of qualifying for the knock-out stages?

Definitely. It has been a very long time since Spain has lost two consecutive games, and this fact will help to raise team morale.

- Has Vicente del Bosque had to work over-time to pick the team up after losing to Switzerland?

The players know how to can pick themselves up. Our objective however is still to win the World Cup, even though we have lost our first game of the tournament.

- Have the players been affected by the loss?

We were that same afternoon, but the defeat is now behind us.

- So lightning won’t strike twice against Honduras or Chile?

Our options remain intact. The only change, is that we might qualify as group runners-up, thus leaving us with a trickier rival in the next round.

- Not an easy route to the final…

We have got ourselves into this situation and the coach doesn’t need to say much to get us going again. We are all professionals.

- And what about Torres? Fully fit?

I have been training with the group for two weeks.

- So you want to play against Honduras?

We all want to play, all 23 of us. It’s not about who plays, it’s the victory that counts and Vicente will choose the right players to face Honduras.

- Against Switzerland you looked slightly anxious...

I came on at a difficult time but I wasn’t feeling at all nervous. I tried to change things, but it didn’t come off...a bit like Spain’s performance that afternoon.

- Luis Aragones commented that Spain lacked speed and conviction… and his comments have caused quite a stir…

I am sure that Luis would never say or do anything that would hurt the team. He formed this group of players and we are very grateful to him.

- So he has a right to air his views…

He has more right than anyone. His opinion is more valid than any other.

- It’s been said that he wants to ‘hurt’ Spain…

Luis would never create a stir, all the opposite, he always wants to help the side.

- So what now for Spain?

I prefer not to talk about ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. I want to focus on Honduras, and then Chile. But if we fail to beat Honduras, then there won’t be much point talking about the Chile match.

- Very true…

I know. At one point we were going to take all nine points from our group. Now it’s impossible. All we can do is to try and win the six points left up for grabs. We are going to have to work very hard to win our two remaining matches.

- Do you think Spain can do it?

Our hopes are still intact. We have not started as well as we would have liked, but we still have the whole World Cup to look ahead to.

- And once the World Cup is over, and with Rafa Benitez leaving Liverpool, what will become of Fernando Torres?

Rafa has been the most important manager in my career, but our futures are no longer linked. There are too many things happening here and now to waste any time thinking about it.

- In Durban we saw crowds of locals and entire families wearing Spain shirts with Fernando Torres on the back. A bit of a star here?

You earn media pulling power out on the pitch and not by doing four commercials for TV. The Premier League is also very popular here in Africa, in the US and across Asia. Luckily I play for a great club with great supporters and this fills me with satisfaction.

- The 'Nino' has become a father...

I don’t usually talk about my family life ... but fatherhood has changed my life, on both a personal and a professional level.

- Can you explain to us why?

I have matured, and the maturity can be seen in the way I now play the game.

- Has you outlook changed?

I value things more. I now enjoy both life and football more than before. Football is there to be enjoyed, just like when I was a young kid out playing in the street.

- Are you still a ‘rojiblanco’ at heart?

Yes, and I’m proud of it. I have never hidden where I’m from, or where I was brought up. Atletico Madrid will always be special to me as I have been a passionate supporter of the club since childhood.

- When Liverpool played Atletico in the Europa League semifinals, you were seen celebrating when the Reds scored.

Over the last two years I have always wanted Liverpool, my team, to win. But I was glad when Atletico won the Europa League final. I will never stop following Atletico Madrid.

- Diego Simeone returned to play for Atletico, can you see yourself returning to play for Atletico one day?

Sequels have the tradition of not being that good ... but saying that, I would like to return to where it all began.

- So it might happen?

Well, the truth is I do not know where I'm going to be in an hour’s time. But hopefully one day I can return to Atletico Madrid to help the club fight for the league title, and to become one of Europe’s big clubs. But as you know only too well, dreams don’t always come true.

- But sometimes they do...

And that’s why I hope that Spain will win the World Cup.

Photos: J.A. Sirvent