Step by step through the pre-season Fernando Torres is demonstrating his belief in the possibility of getting Atletico back into the elite of Spanish football – an elite which, in terms of history, fame and fans Atletico surely deserve a place in. Torres spoke in an interview with Marca, in which he also admitted his doubts about this ‘new Atletico’ and his personal worries.

In the interview the frontman spoke highly of the club’s efforts to put together a competitive team and especially the high level of morale among the squad. We all want to get Atletico back into it’s rightful place, and this could be our year. The team is as good as it’s going to get and we’ve got everything we need to keep our word that this is going to be a good year”. As far as the new coach Carlos Bianchi, Torres expressed his admiration for “the humility of a man who has won everything. When someone works so hard and is so accessible he’s like one more team-mate.”

There was also time to talk about the new signings. Torres discussed Kezman: “ he’s a clever goalscorer, he moves well in the box and he’s always in the goalmouth” and described Petrov as a great wide player: “he’s a pure winger with a nose for goal and a terrific workrate.” Maxi’s goalscoring abilities were also noted, despite the fact that at Espanyol he was regarded as a wide player, and Galetti’s crosses from the right “will be great for the centre-forwards.” Despite his young age, just 21 years old, the red-and-white captain doesn’t hide from responsibility. He unreservedly accepts the pressure he is under, with a clear role model: Raúl González Blanco: “I like being under pressure, it gets more out of you. Raul is an example for us all. No other player has spent a whole decade leading both a team like Real Madrid and the national team as well. He’s my role model and you can’t take anything away from him. It is hard but I’m proud to have the weight of a historically important club upon my shoulders.”

As far as the price of fame, the Atleti star recognizes that “it’s difficult to live a normal life when everybody knows who you are” although he assures us that he wouldn’t change things for the world. Torres also gave thanks for the help he has received from his family, the key to his development. “I always had the good fortune to be able to see my dad in the stands, enjoying the game-or suffering! But without taking it out on me or anybody, even when he heard thing’s he didn’t like. In football and in life you have to have patience and memory, a friend of mine says. Time puts everything into perspective and you always have to remember who sticks with you when the going gets sticky”.

Coming to his fondest ambitions, the soccer ace swears that “for the last four years I’ve been dreaming about playing in the Champions League for Atletico every night” and confesses that he sees himself playing in Germany 2006. Speaking about the national team, what stands out is “Youth. There’s an average of 24 in the squad” and Torres believes that this will be the deciding factor in “playing a big part in this World Cup and then in two or three years time being one of the best International sides in the world.”


Photo: J. A. SIrvent