Fernando Torres was the key protagonist of the night in the radio programme ‘Al primer toque’ of Onda Cero Station, a programme leads by Iñaki Cano. With the company of the football players veterans like Fernando Hierro and Mani Quevedo, and the journalist Jose Felix Diaz, Fernando Burgos and Alejandro Mori, the forward from Atletico of Madrid thought about his recent renew and gave an exhaustive review to the present of Atletico and the Spanish National Team.

In the first place, Torres remembers his first steps in the red and white team: “I jump up from the junior team to the first squad; I haven’t been at fields of the third and second B category. It has been a huge jump both at the sporting and at the personal. From being somebody anonymous to be known from the entire world in just few months, it is a very difficult change to assimilate. The football left being a fond to become in a job, and in which you have the illusion of many people behind. People at the street stop you, and they ask you to win. You have to bear that kind of pressure, that’s part of your work”.

About the treatment receive by the mass media, he commented “they have treat me very good or not good at all depending on the moment. Yo learn that it is part of football and what you have to do is to adapted the faster as possible. When they demand you a lot it is because they expect a lot from you.

After more than a week, after recieving to Sevilla at the Calderon, the Atletico of Madrid will visit the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Fernando didn’t show obsessed to score against Real Madrid: “To score against Real Madrid is not special to me. It is a important match, and long time ago we didn’t win to the rival team and to everybody likes to store in this kind of matches. If I score I will celebrate the goal and will enjoy the victory. It is more that something personal”.

Regarding to a hypothetical interest of the white club at his sign up, Torres said that he would not sign for “Real Madrid not even other club. That’s why I renewed in Atletico Club. I had the opportunity to leave to a great Europe Clubs, but I really feel like to help Atletico of Madrid and to put it to the place what deserves. I’ve left the best moments like a fan, and I would like to live them again at the pitch. I think that is possible, and things are going well to achieve it”.

The red and white captain said supported words to the number ‘7’ of the National Team, Raul Gonzalez: “Everybody should have a great respect to Raul. Nowadays he is the player that has all the records in the Spanish football. He doesn’t have to demonstrate nothing to nobody, because he has done it during many years. He probably has good and bad moments, like everybody, but you can’t reproach him nothing as a captain not even as a player. Since I met him at the National Team the first day to the last summons he always had support words when things weren’t going well, and tranquillity words when everything was going great. He has helped me a lot. It is demanded to him because he has given much, and because everybody hope he keeps giving that much. Sure that he will get to his great moments”.

After a summer full of rumors about his leaving, the number ‘9’ assured that he “has been very calm. I've never understood that obsession that I should leave Atletico. Finally, the truth is that we have repeated the manager and I during the year. I am an Atleti player and I have a contract”.

About the reduction of the annulment clause, Fernando explained “to me it is a token of confidence of the club, like that anybody is obliged to wear that shirt. Today nobody pays 40 millions Euros. The clauses are the least of it, if a player wants to leave he leaves, and if a club wants to transfer him, it transfers him. I have three more years of contract. I am sure that in those years this project is going to result and it is going to build that great team that few years ago was the Atletico”.

There was time to reflect about the present of the Spanish National team: “To me playing at the National team is it the biggest thing. Now we have an opportunity to demonstrate that we are capable to be at the Eurocup, and we know that we can’t fail. Probably to Spain it is demanded above its history. We have to go more slowly”.

Regarding to the atmosphere in the changing room of the National Team, the forward added “at Germany’s World Cup we were very join, because it was very important to all of us. I don’t think it has discord in the group. Maybe it miss the pressure we had at the World Cup, because is very difficult to change your way of thinking of your club to the National Team. That’s why is so important to take each match like it were a World Cup”. “It is normal when the results were not going to well it criticize to the National Team, but if the results are going well and we are winning to Switzerland and Argentina, is going to be different. It is talk good about the National Team again, the environment is going to be excellent and everything is going to go perfect”, he added.

At the time to point out to his favourites to achieve the League title, Fernando pointed out to “Barcelona and Madrid. Then there is another four or five teams that we are going to fight to get the place of the Champions and UEFA, but it is soon to talk about that because the championship just started”.

Torres was very excited about the Project which the Atletico has created for this season and he trust and enjoy with the play of the team: “The players enjoy when they win, and for that it is needed good footballers, and this year we have it. If the results are good, surely that all of us will enjoy, and as many players could be able to take on with the responsibility will be better. The day that one player won’t feel o.k. will be ok another player and the matches will come out ahead. That is what makes a team, to make the most of the individualities, but performing as a team”.

Looking back the player add that “when thing weren’t going well I was the responsable, also when thing were going well. That has influence, veterans players that advise you began to leave, and with 22 years old I was the captain of Atletico of Madrid and that probably is too much responsability for a player with no much experience. Maybe I have lived very fast and I have left a lot of things on the way, but I have a lot of time to make it up”.

Regarding to his main supports during your career, Fernando commented that “The family is always closer to you, and also help you the people of your surroundings like Antonio Sanz or Peton. But finally it is very important the advise who have been long time in this. I’m lucky to enter to a changing room where was Kiko, Aguilera, Lopez, Toni, Garcia Calvo... people that have a lot of time in the football and I felt much supported. They have been who have advise me about everything”.

Torres also revealed the goals to achieve in Atletico of Madrid: “Before of the descent I have seen the Atletico in Champions and fighting for the first places. It is a big, and unfortunately since the double it hasn’t been like that. That is the Atletico than the fans want to see and they miss, the one that fight with Real Madrid and Barcelona, the one that get to the last matches of the Cup. This is the Atleti I have seen when I was a kid, and it is where we supposed to be”.

Finally, the forward commented that he like seeing play to the “teammates of the National Team that play in England. They commented a good thing about the environment and the way to live football. I'm glad that all is well with them, that brought a great level to the National Team”.


Photo: www.clubatleticodemadrid.com