Fernando Torres is starting his fifth season in Atlético de Madrid. For the first time, he is taking on maximum responsibility in the group: as the longest-serving team-member, he will wear the captain’s arm-band. In an exclusive interview for his web-page, the forward considers the present and future of the team that he still defends, body and soul.

Q: The main novelty this season is the arrival of Carlos Bianchi. After a week of work following his instructions, what are your first impressions?

FT: "He works very hard, especially in the physical aspect. He has organized intensive morning and afternoon sessions, without a break, to overload our legs. It’s very demanding, very good for us, and I’m sure we will appreciate it during the season. The coach is organizing complete games to get to know the players really well, to assess excuses, and to keep the right players for the first team. Our first impressions are very good, Bianchi is a coach who has won everything and we have to try to learn as much as possible from him. His method of play has stood him in good stead, and as soon as we can assimilate it, it will be great for the team.”

Q: It looks like the pre-season is being very demanding from a physical point of view. Are Bianchi’s methods very different from those of other coaches?

FT: "I’ve worked with four coaches, and they have all been completely different. This year we are doing a lot of physical work, while last year it was more ball-passing. Now we are combining both things: in the morning, physical work and in the afternoon we have fun playing football." Q: In the training sessions you’re showing your goal-scoring abilities

Q: In the training sessions you’re showing your goal-scoring abilities

FT: "In the pre-season one has to work as hard as possible and try to impress the coach, and so far everything is going well. The players that have come from mid-field up are going to contribute tremendously in the offensive aspect: now Kezman, Maxi shortly, and Petrov if he comes. The signings are going to be crucial for those of us who missed out on goals last year. "

Q: You’ve always said that you still have a lot to learn, do you think that Bianchi could be the key to your development as a player?

FT: "I’ve learned something different from each coach. All of them have taught me new things that are useful to me, and Bianchi won’t be any less. I’m sure that between now and the end of the year he will teach me many things that I’ll be able to take advantage of during the season. But I’m grateful to all the coaches I’ve had. My development has been constant thanks to them."

Q: The coach said on the first day that no-one is guaranteed a place in the first eleven, have you noticed an increase in rivalry between the players?

FT: "Yes, it’s true. A new coach, new opportunities, new players … we are all starting from scratch. He’ll have a team in mind, and everyone who deserves to, will be in it. There are lots of youth players eager to earn their place in the first eleven, others want to prove themselves in ways that they were not able to last year, and new players will also want to find their place in the team. The competition is hard, especially at the top, where there are five or six forwards for two positions. You have to give your utmost, because with a new coach, what you have done in the past doesn’t count for anything.”

Q: Last season, you said that the team had a good base, and that only certain reinforcements were necessary. Do you think that the new players will completely cover those deficiencies?

FT: "Toni’s doing a very good job, signing players from mid-field up, which is where we had problems last year. The goal and defence are covered, as is the pivot with Peter Luccin, and from there to goal is where we were missing the target. Toni’s brought Kezman, we’re waiting for Petrov and Maxi, and Gabi is back. With these players, the team can become much more competitive.”

Q: Kezman could be a good support for your work in attack. The two of you together are already being talked about as one of the most dangerous offensive partnerships in the League.

FT: "Kezman is a very mobile placer, and with a nose for goal, which is what we need. He is a similar player to me, a forward who runs rings around defenders, which also benefits Ibagaza’s game. It’s easy to work with Kezman, you don’t have to expend so much energy with him and we all get forward much fresher. He’ll certainly help me to be more rested."

Q: In just ten days you’ll be playing the first games in England, do you think we will be able to see the new Atlético there?

FT: "From now until the beginning of the season the coach will make lots of changes and try different systems. In those matches we’ll start to see the outline of the system of play, but we’ll still have to wait to see the new Atlético.”

Q: Now that Aguilera has left, at the start of this season you are the captain and longest-serving member of the team. It seems a big responsibility for someone just 21 years old.

FT: "Two seasons ago I was fourth and third captain, and last year I went to meetings with Carlos as second captain, so I know more or less what to do. . Toni was also captain here for many years, and he has explained the basics to me. It’s true that it is a lot of responsibility, but we have all known each other for a long time, and there won’t be any problems leading the team. Besides, García Calvo and Leo’s help will be very important.”

Q: After another avalanche of rumours that you were leaving Atlético, you’ve done your pre-season training in Los Angeles de San Rafael.

FT: "It’s the same story as every summer. I’m under contract to Atlético until 2008 and I’m not in any hurry. I’m happy here, I’m at home. I’m still young and have a long time ahead of me to learn and win titles wearing this shirt."

Q: The League calendar looks quite difficult at the beginning, with a visit to La Coruña and meeting Barcelona and Real Madrid at home in the first seven games …

FT: "It’s good to start off that way, you demand more of yourself and the big matches show you where you will be at the end of the season. If we get points from those first seven games the calendar will be more attainable and we’ll be able to forget about those complicated games, with the exception of Valencia and a few others. I think it is positive, you have to get going from the first day and start off as strong as possible.”

Q: People talk about the UEFA, the League, the Champions … what’s Atlético de Madrid’s objective this year?

FT: "First of all, to complete the signings. We always want to lay down our aims before the beginning of the season, and then we end up talking about failure. Once we have all the signings, we can see the team, how far we can go, and what our goals are. For the time being we’re going to go all out to try to get into the Champions, but we need to be realistic: Atlético can perfectly well be one of the top four, but you have to do this on the pitch, just saying it doesn’t help at all. Last year we tried to get into Europe and failed at the end of the season. You learn from your mistakes, we have to learn from them and try to finish in the top four.”

Q: The fans are certainly excited, we’ve seen that from the demand for season tickets.

FT: "The fans are always there. They fulfil their part of the deal, the number of season-ticket holders has risen again and they are with the team despite last year’s bad season. They can’t be reproached at all. Now we have to repay that."

Q: Have you set yourself any personal challenges?

FT: "The same as every year: To fulfil the objectives that the team has at the beginning of the season and to finish well. The team is the most important thing, to have a good season with Atlético and I know that if everything goes well on a personal level, that will help me to get to the World Cup in Germany.”

Q: Regarding the national team, this season you could end up playing your first World Cup, in Germany.

FT: "That’s true, but we have to go step by step, and we are playing to win against Serbia. Classification became more difficult after the last game in Valencia. We need to win that game, which will be in the Calderón, and hope that they will lose again. We’ll do our very best to win and be top of the table. We know what it is to have to wait for a draw, when you can be pitched against a very strong rival, and two games decide it. We want to be top and make sure we have our ticket to Germany, because a team like the Spanish national team can’t be missing in a World Cup.”

Q: Talking about Serbia, in that match you’ll be facing your new colleague in attack at Atlético.

FT: "Kezman is one of their most important players. He created a lot of problems for us in Belgrado, he almost scored in a shot at the post. Pablo Ibanez was marking him, and after the match we discussed what a difficult job that is. Now we’ll be meeting again, but we know how he plays and we’ll try to stop him as best we can".

Q: If you do take part in the World Cup you’ll be very young, no more than 22.

FT: "The National team is a young team with a big future, under Luis Aragonés, a great coach. Estoy seguro que va a dar que hablar. I’m sure that we will be talked about. If we can get to Germany we’ll take advantage of everything we learned in our negative experience in the Eurocopa, and play a great World Cup."

Photo: J. A. Sirvent