As Chelsea head to the north-east for a crucial Barclays Premier League clash against Newcastle, Fernando Torres has been discussing a former team-mate whom the Chelsea attack will be looking to get the better of on Saturday.

Fabricio Coloccini captains Alan Pardew's side from central defence but nine years ago he spent a season at Atletico Madrid, and Torres, who was making a name for himself at the time as a young striker, quickly picked up on the Argentinian defender's strengths.

'It was my first season in the Spanish First Division,' Torres says. 'Coloccini joined after we'd been promoted, having spent two seasons in the Second Division. He came on loan from Milan and was a very important player for us, it was a great experience to play alongside him.

'Milan then wanted to get him back and they did and next he went to Villarreal, but it was a good season for him. It was important for him to play at a club like Atletico when he was about 21. I was only 18 and we had a good friendship. I have always had a good relationship with Argentinian people and he helped me a lot.

'I was surprised when he moved over here to England because nobody was talking about him but, in time, he has proved what a good player he is. He is trying to be one of the main players for Newcastle and they are doing very well so he deserves it.'

With Newcastle unbeaten at home so far this campaign, Saturday's game will undoubtedly provide a stern test. Whichever forward line Andre Villas-Boas chooses to attack Newcastle, they can expect a competitive afternoon reckons Torres.

'Coloccini is very aggressive, the kind of player that doesn't like to lose a tackle, and he's very technical as well,' says Torres. 'It's usually difficult to find an aggressive player who has good technique but he is one of them, so he is a very complete player.'

The Magpies have enjoyed a good first half of the season, losing only once, and possessing one of the best defensive records in the league.

'They have great players and a manager who has done well at his previous clubs as well,' says Torres.

'Everybody appears to be waiting for them to lose matches but they are not doing it. They lost at Manchester City but then went to Old Trafford and got a very good result,' he said.

'The game at the weekend is now very important because if they don't lose against us they will remain near the top of the table, and they will believe that they can stay there for the remainder of the season.'

For the Blues, the match represents an opportunity to climb the table following last weekend's 3-0 win over Wolves, and Torres believes that emerging from Tyneside with all three points will set us up for some difficult fixtures heading into the festive period.

'It is a game between two teams that really need the points, especially us after a bad period of results, but if we go there and win it will have a positive impact on us.'

- Info by chelseafc.com