Fernando Torres

[Ezio 22]

Fernando Torres on the Champions League Final and his season at Chelsea.

I caught up with Fernando Torres after the Champions League Final in Munich. I asked him about his thoughts on the game and his frustrating season at Stamford Bridge. I would appreciate that it if anybody uses any of of these quotes, they could please mention the source. Thanks.

This interview will also be published in Spanish in Diario AS.

Guillem - It´s been an incredible season considering that things haven´t gone exactly according to plan.

Fernando Torres - That´s what football is like, in the end what this season has taught me is that football is made from these moments, these special moments - a group of lucky people and sometimes you need a little bit of luck, and that is what the team has had.

G - Like for example, Drogba, who has scored 9 goals in 9 finals - to me that seems incredible.

FT - In the game against Napoli at home - it finished 3-1, I remember that goal-line clearance from Ashley Cole - if it had finished 4-1 we would have been out of the competition. We won that game, then went to the Nou Camp and it seemed to everyone that we were going to get beat 10-0. But with a bit of luck or hard work or whatever you want to call it....we got through to the final at Bayern Munich´s ground against Bayern Munich, in the 82nd minute we were 1-0 down, then we brought it level and it went to penalties. We went a goal behind at the start of the shoot-out and ended up winning. I think that is what this team has had, especially towards the end of the season, are some championship-winning moments - maybe we´ve been lucky, but maybe a bit of luck was what the team was lacking in Moscow.

G - And in the 82nd minute, you were a goal down, what was going through your head? Did you think that it was all over? Were you tired?

FT - No, no, we were thinking about winning. I think that what we needed today was to attack, I don´t think we did the right thing settling for 0-0 and they punished us with Muller´s goal. The thing that has made this team so great, that has made us beat Barcelona, Napoli, Benfica, has been the fact that we defended through attacking, and today we didn´t attack. We attacked during the last ten minutes and part of extra time which gave us chances, if not we´d have lost 1-0.

G - When you were brought on, you got involved, you ran for every ball.

FT - It´s contradictory because I feel like I´m at a peak moment in my career, with more desire and hunger than I´ve felt in a long time, but I´ve had to spend the final on the bench. It was a huge disappointment when I saw the line-up, perhaps the biggest disappointment in my life. I thought I would play in this game and I couldn´t imagine not doing so. But in the end I could participate and offer the team something. I´m really happy.

G - What have you learned this season?

FT - This season I have felt things that I never had before. I´ve felt like they treated me in a way that I didn´t expect, not in the way that was spoken of when they signed me. We´ve had a lot of talks and we´ll talk about my future at the end of the season because the role I´ve had this season is not for me, nor is it the one I expected to play when I came here. I´m not comfortable. A victory like this one against Munich does compensate, but I want them to tell me what is going to happen in the future. Football has been fair on us, on me. Now I do feel like football is worth it but I´ve been through a difficult time. The worst in my career. And I don´t want to go through it again.

G - And what does it depend on?

FT - I don´t know. There have been a lot of ups and downs, there´s been many times when I´ve felt lost, I wasn´t sure what to do. I felt like I didn´t know where I belonged. I´m eternally grateful to my family who have been by my side and also for the support of the owners who have stuck by me. And especially to the fans, if it hadn´t been for them this season I would have given up.

G - So, what would be the ideal situation for you next season?

FT - For someone to tell me what is going to happen and what sort of role I will have within the team, what my duties are, what they expect of me and then judge whether it is worth it.

G - Will we see you in Schruns, where the Spanish national team is heading this week?

FT - First London, where we´ll celebrate this win and then the next day Ibiza. I´ll be hoping to be on the list when it is announced on Monday. As I´ve said, I feel better than ever, hungrier than ever, but that´s what football is like - often, when you feel you´re at your best they don´t consider you.

G - In any case, you came to this club to win medals such as this one.

FT - Yeah, the European Championship, the World Cup, the Champions League...There´s a very important game for me, on an emotional level, against Atletico de Madrid in the European Supercup and I´m counting the days until then.

http://www.guillemba...ason at Chelsea

The interview in full. What is the big fuss about? Balague was obviously trying to drum up attention by selecting certain quotes and slapping them on twitter before posting the interview. He could have easily just posted the interview in full, but no, he wanted hits and attention. He certainly got that.

[xPetrCechx 13,548]

Torres: I wasn't allowed to take penalty

And Torres, a £50 million signing from Liverpool in January 2011, said to guillembalague.com: "I wanted to take a penalty but they didn't let me."

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/151731.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

Should take it instead of Mata.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Yeah, quotes taken way out of context and certain things left out in the articles on soccernet and such.

[manpe 10,857]

Had Torres taken a penalty he would have missed 100%. Glad he wasn't allowed. He wasn't confident enough to take one in small league games but now on the biggest game of them all he suddenly wants the glory... yeah right.

Anyway, couldn't care less about the Torres stories. If he left it would leave me cold, he's no Drogba after all. He seems too weak mentally, not the kind of player to drive the team forward when needed.

I refuse to let Torres take the limelight once again. This is about the team winning, not him hogging all the headlines again for all the wrong petty reasons.

[chealsist 23]

If those words are true from Torres then I am very disappointed with what fans have to support the transfer of its momentum until today, if its really he can FUCK OFF

[Laylabelle 9,305]

If he hadnt taken a penatly...missed that then been in confidence gone big big big big time...then if Mata followed and missed...wouldnt be having a parade today!! No doubt up for concinderaton maybe if it came to it

I duno see what is said probably more of a reasurrance do I have a future type talk..espically with Drogba looking set to go...see what happenens.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Should take it instead of Mata.

Are you kidding? Had he taken the pen and missed, RDM would have been murdered for destroying Torres' confidence

[Sheva. 5,373]

Fernando Torres on the Champions League Final and his season at Chelsea.

I caught up with Fernando Torres after the Champions League Final in Munich. I asked him about his thoughts on the game and his frustrating season at Stamford Bridge. I would appreciate that it if anybody uses any of of these quotes, they could please mention the source. Thanks.

This interview will also be published in Spanish in Diario AS.

Guillem - It´s been an incredible season considering that things haven´t gone exactly according to plan.

Fernando Torres - That´s what football is like, in the end what this season has taught me is that football is made from these moments, these special moments - a group of lucky people and sometimes you need a little bit of luck, and that is what the team has had.

G - Like for example, Drogba, who has scored 9 goals in 9 finals - to me that seems incredible.

FT - In the game against Napoli at home - it finished 3-1, I remember that goal-line clearance from Ashley Cole - if it had finished 4-1 we would have been out of the competition. We won that game, then went to the Nou Camp and it seemed to everyone that we were going to get beat 10-0. But with a bit of luck or hard work or whatever you want to call it....we got through to the final at Bayern Munich´s ground against Bayern Munich, in the 82nd minute we were 1-0 down, then we brought it level and it went to penalties. We went a goal behind at the start of the shoot-out and ended up winning. I think that is what this team has had, especially towards the end of the season, are some championship-winning moments - maybe we´ve been lucky, but maybe a bit of luck was what the team was lacking in Moscow.

G - And in the 82nd minute, you were a goal down, what was going through your head? Did you think that it was all over? Were you tired?

FT - No, no, we were thinking about winning. I think that what we needed today was to attack, I don´t think we did the right thing settling for 0-0 and they punished us with Muller´s goal. The thing that has made this team so great, that has made us beat Barcelona, Napoli, Benfica, has been the fact that we defended through attacking, and today we didn´t attack. We attacked during the last ten minutes and part of extra time which gave us chances, if not we´d have lost 1-0.

G - When you were brought on, you got involved, you ran for every ball.

FT - It´s contradictory because I feel like I´m at a peak moment in my career, with more desire and hunger than I´ve felt in a long time, but I´ve had to spend the final on the bench. It was a huge disappointment when I saw the line-up, perhaps the biggest disappointment in my life. I thought I would play in this game and I couldn´t imagine not doing so. But in the end I could participate and offer the team something. I´m really happy.

G - What have you learned this season?

FT - This season I have felt things that I never had before. I´ve felt like they treated me in a way that I didn´t expect, not in the way that was spoken of when they signed me. We´ve had a lot of talks and we´ll talk about my future at the end of the season because the role I´ve had this season is not for me, nor is it the one I expected to play when I came here. I´m not comfortable. A victory like this one against Munich does compensate, but I want them to tell me what is going to happen in the future. Football has been fair on us, on me. Now I do feel like football is worth it but I´ve been through a difficult time. The worst in my career. And I don´t want to go through it again.

G - And what does it depend on?

FT - I don´t know. There have been a lot of ups and downs, there´s been many times when I´ve felt lost, I wasn´t sure what to do. I felt like I didn´t know where I belonged. I´m eternally grateful to my family who have been by my side and also for the support of the owners who have stuck by me. And especially to the fans, if it hadn´t been for them this season I would have given up.

G - So, what would be the ideal situation for you next season?

FT - For someone to tell me what is going to happen and what sort of role I will have within the team, what my duties are, what they expect of me and then judge whether it is worth it.

G - Will we see you in Schruns, where the Spanish national team is heading this week?

FT - First London, where we´ll celebrate this win and then the next day Ibiza. I´ll be hoping to be on the list when it is announced on Monday. As I´ve said, I feel better than ever, hungrier than ever, but that´s what football is like - often, when you feel you´re at your best they don´t consider you.

G - In any case, you came to this club to win medals such as this one.

FT - Yeah, the European Championship, the World Cup, the Champions League...There´s a very important game for me, on an emotional level, against Atletico de Madrid in the European Supercup and I´m counting the days until then.

http://www.guillemba...ason at Chelsea

The interview in full. What is the big fuss about? Balague was obviously trying to drum up attention by selecting certain quotes and slapping them on twitter before posting the interview. He could have easily just posted the interview in full, but no, he wanted hits and attention. He certainly got that.

Thanks for posting this

[Wilson 358]

I can understand his disappointment but hey Nando, if it wasn't for Chelsea You wouldn't haver won this trophy! He must understand why he never got picked over Drogba though.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Really disappointed in Torres & Guillem. Both have released this at a terrible time.. This should be the final nail in Torres' Chelsea coffin. Thanks for the Barca goal & the few others, time to leave now.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Really disappointed in Torres & Guillem. Both have released this at a terrible time.. This should be the final nail in Torres' Chelsea coffin. Thanks for the Barca goal & the few others, time to leave now.

I'm gutted he said this, but I don't think he meant it to sound as harsh as he did. He was delighted during the celebrations and the parade.

[Wilson 358]

Really disappointed in Torres & Guillem. Both have released this at a terrible time.. This should be the final nail in Torres' Chelsea coffin. Thanks for the Barca goal & the few others, time to leave now.

I'll always cherish that goal.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

What is wrong with what Torres said? All he said is that he wants to play more. Some of you are the biggest drama queens...

[Kieran. 6,317]

What is wrong with what Torres said? All he said is that he wants to play more. Some of you are the biggest drama queens...

The timing and that he said he's going to hold talks to see if it's "worth it" to play for Chelsea is a bit fucked up.

[communicate 2,703]

I have defended Torres plenty of times this season and kept saying that we don't utilize him the right way.

At the same time, I always think that he does fit with our system and if we can get a good money for him, sell him.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

What is wrong with what Torres said? All he said is that he wants to play more. Some of you are the biggest drama queens...

I've felt like they treated me in a way that I didn't expect. Not in the way that was spoken of when they signed me. We've had a lot of talks and we'll talk about my future.

I've had to spend the final on the bench. It was a huge disappointment when I saw the line-up, perhaps the biggest in my life

I need the club to tell me what is going to happen and what sort of role I will have within the team,

Does this sound like a fully committed, happy, Chelsea player? A pending Drogba-contract extension would throw him over the edge.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I'm gutted he said this, but I don't think he meant it to sound as harsh as he did. He was delighted during the celebrations and the parade.

That's what I believed was the case, the delight was enough for me to think "could it be.." but this just sets him back paces again. I'll use that term I always use about Torres, 'Once step forward, two back.'

This interview is like twelve back.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Does this sound like a fully committed, happy, Chelsea player? A pending Drogba-contract extension would throw him over the edge.

He has every right to want to play. He has been on a poor run but he is a pro footballer and they want to play games. If we can't offer him alot of playing time, than it's best for all if he moves on. I hope he sticks around for another year.