-How I should start in an interview with Fernando Torres…

If I were journalist I would know it… But I would do it for my future, each year at this time of the year people don’t know to talk about something else.

- Go ahead

I don’t have a lot to say about it. My future is settled. People insist in debate the only thing that is clear is where I am going to be the next year. I have a contract, I want to stay here and I have more important things to think about.

- For example…

Fulfilling the aim, that it is being classify at the Eurocup. Is my fifth season at the first squad and it’s time to do it. Yo see the time goes by and never comes, but this time is going to come. The truth is that we improve slowly. The UEFA cup it would be a better step. The Champions a good one.

- Your future is join precisely to be in Europe.

I already said no. My future is not join to the results. If it were for that I would have already left from Atleti, but this year is going to be different. If is not like that I won’t plan anything. I know that in spite of I tell you people will talk about offers and probably they will come, but with Miguel Angel Gil tells me he wants me here, that’s all and there is nothing to talk about. Just I would leave of mutual agreement and if the club would tell me that we should accept an offer. I hope never happen, but I would value because I don’t like to be were people don’t want me. I have offers, great offer these last two years. And I never did anything behind the club’s back, the ones who called we sent to Atletico.

- And If this year is not the one, what term have you establish to achieve it or to leave?

I am 23 years old, if I had 28 and I wouldn’t play at Europe probaly was time to leave. But what people don’t understand is that i want to play hereand until 28 years old I have a lot of time to do it here. All my aims, my dreams, are to achieve things in Atletico. I have left 10 years to play football and in I think it will be just in Atletico and also achieving the rest that I have marked. I am secure.

- I don’t know how you can be so secure of something so chimeric.

The easiest thing it would has been to leave, but I want to stay all my life because the titles I achieved here will be mine, and I am going to enjoy it more. I am sure. Is it so difficult people are convince that this is my house and I am an Atletico? People tell me that why I don’t leave, why they don’t ask to the Atletico supporter to change the club, because here they don’t win anything. It is very hard leaving this club. To them and to me. Anyways, I notice that a lot of people wants me to leave. A lot of people.

- We are a lot of people that think that the best for your personal improvement is changing to club that plays Chanpions and aspires to League every year...

The most confortable to me would be going to another club, the most difficult is staying here, in a team that doesn’t play at Europe. Like is easy to be of Barça or Madrid team. I know that are teams that play at Europe that would give possibilities to achieve my aims, but I want to win it here. The most important is to be at the percfet place because I know that in football, as the level of players as the teams, is matter of time. Also a lot of Atletico supporters stopp me and tells me to leave, they say it quietly, but with sincerity, because they appreciate and because I feel loved. But I am convince that Atletico can fight for the close future if we do things well.

- How?

What about Sevilla. Isn’t fighting for everything? And has won the UEFA, and the Supercopa... Villarreal was at the final of Champions, Valencia is consider one of them and it has achieved it in few years. Football isn’t just money. With work and work well done you can achieve a lot of things. We just need to trust in a project and work two or three years on it. Also, the sell of the Stadium will give us that money that will be a help to that project. Improving what we have. Not with ten new players ech year. When the capital scarces we have to look for another way to achieve it.

But it seems that Atletico is not able to keep that proyect, there is a lot of hurry, nervous and insecurity.

That’s truth, here is more difficult to work than in other clubs. Over here the history pressures you when things doesn’t goes well. That’s why we need pacience. But I am secure what I am going to achieve here.

- Garate, a historic reference, he gave you the other day good advices. Would you bear in mind?

The ones that are for me, of course, but the other ones are to the club and for the team. What he has said he has already said it to me. I know what Garate represents in this club and he played at my position. I don’t take the hint about what he told me. It is the club who has to know if it wants to grow or not.

- But aren’t you afraid about the indefinition of the club, the lack of results, ended pulling you into it.

I don’t think so, probably because I have brought up here, because more than the negatives things lived here I can’t live in some where else. I have brought up in the terrace as a supporter, then I have been ballboy, then I have debuted at the second division and I’ve seen to the team with an economic control of Administration. Unfortunately as harder you learn as sooner you see everything. I haven’t had not many happiness here and that makes you mature, that makes you stronger.

- Of course you aren’t like a boy with 23 years old, it seems you are 30.

That’s normal. When I was 19-20 I had to carry with the responsability of the team. And that’s easy to say, but very complicated to feel. I had to mature more and enjoy less.

- It could happen to you like Raul, with 28 years old a lot of people wanted to retire him, because they were fed up of seeing him.

I know, Raul when he was 23 he had won almost everything, he is God to the Madrilenians and he will be all the life. I know that people get tired of the players. I know that it will happen to me when I were 28. After ten years old in the team people will wanted to could-shoulder to me, but I prefer don’t thinking about it.

- Few weeks ago, Luis Aragones said in public the qualities you should improve, like the manage of the ball, the touch, and the dribble...

He told me that before. I know what I have to improve, everything. You improve with success. I trained every day to improve everything I can and I think I improved a lot in a short time, because before I never had time to improve little by little. So much responsability and the team needs have taken me time to develop. With 20 I was one of the captains and here is a hard position each year the squad is almost new.

- Your relationship with Luis Aragones is compulsive, appreciate or hate each other. You had a brush a short time ago.

A brush, no. We talked about a lot of things. People said that we have talked about me and my future but that is not true. That’s all. About Luis I have to say that is the hardest coach I had and the coach that more time has spent with me. First two years in Atletico and now two more in the National Team. I always admired him. He is a demanding coach, he likes the old school and now football has change a lot. When he came to Atletico he tought me a lot of things. He demands me, but I know he defends me a lot.

- What do you like more: football or playing football?

Playing. I am not an obsessive that spend all day whatching matches, but I watch the sumary every season, the Champions and League matches. I whatch also the English League, I like it because their team play with a great speed. I like Liverpool. I like also Milan . People say that is a team which does not play, but It wins everything.

- Why do you go on the defensive when people talked about you as a person, about your life…

Because talking about how I am in my private life you need some ground and information. The critics can say how I am in the pitch, but the ones who don’t know me they can’t say how I am outside and trying to make an opinion. I am not distrustful. I am a trusting person... too much.


Photo: J. A. Sirvent