Fernando Torres made a short review to the actual moment that surrounds him in an interview granted to AND Diario. The forward commented with clarity about the moment he is going through at Atletico of Madrid, the National Team and his thoughts about the reality of football.

- People speculate with how you’re feeling. How do you feel right now?

Each one talks without knowing anything. The reality is that the team, after a lot of years, has made a good beginning, we are at European places and that must make us happy.

- Aren’t you tired to live like in a professional roller-coaster, in which as soon they make you rise they make you go down?

You have to admit it, enjoy the good moments and whenever you feel bad, to try to get out of the situation.

- Why are you watched every week?

I don’t know. Many people would like me being out of Atletico and that’s why there is an obsession that I don’t understand to force me to leave. When it seems that I am going to leave, everything goes perfect. When I stay, once again critics start.

- Paradoxically, the same ones that usually doubt of his quality put him each summer in one or several great European Clubs.

Yes, I think in Spain we don’t value what we have here. We value more what it is outside. At the end that is going to be positive because the Spanish player will leave away, to other leagues, and they will be more competitive. That is one of the problems of the national team. The great national teams place his great players at the greatest leagues.

- Do you suffer more as a player or as a support?

When you go from being at the stands to the field mentality changes. When you are a supporter you see football as a sport, when you are in, you realize that, unfortunately, each time is more about business.

- And Atletico’s supporters, won’t they finally lose their faith?

It is normal they get tired and some day they could lose their faith. You have to be very Atletico to bar the games and the results of the last years, including this one.

- What is the most you’ve missed in the seven seasons you’ve been at the first team?

To play the Champions. When you have the opportunity to play the World Cup or a Euro Cup and you see that each play you make goes a round the world you realized how it has to be living that every week.

- How many real offers have you had to leave?

We had offers of great clubs. After the World Cup, if the club would’ve wanted to sell me we wouldn’t have any problem.

- Including to one of the candidates to the presidency of Real Madrid that wanted you?

When the best club wants you, everybody wants you. It will always be a first option.

- Have you talk about this with your teammate Pablo?

No, that is personal. I was born here, I grew up here and he’s been just two or three years here with us and maybe he doesn’t understand what being Atletico means.

- Another thing would be Barça, where they admire you.

I am surprised that over there they always treat me as if I were one more of their players. It makes me feel very proud.

- Were you surprised when Luis Aragones didn’t call you for the National Team?

I knew that I wasn’t in good shape and that it could happen, but yes, it surprised me, though not until the point of letting it pass. I want to be in the next one anyhow.

- Do you think Cannavaro deserves the Ballon d’or?

They deserved it Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Cannavaro, another Italians scuch as Del Piero, Henry... I think the award is for him and for many others that for not being forwards didn’t achieve it.


Photo: Jose Antonio Garcia Sirvent