SOCCER:RAFAEL BENITEZ believes Fernando Torres's desire for silverware can be satisfied at Liverpool and that the frustration at lack of success which drove him to leave his beloved Atletico Madrid will not be repeated at Anfield.
Torres will make his 100th appearance for Liverpool tonight if selected against Wigan Athletic and while his commitment has never been in doubt at a club where he remains under contract until 2014, his Anfield future will be under scrutiny should he spend a third trophy-less season on Merseyside. Manchester City, who made tentative inquiries about his availability last summer, would again be expected to prey on a club where servicing a €280 million debt has become a priority.
The 25-year-old has one honour to accompany his status as one of the world’s leading strikers – the 2008 European Championship with Spain – and cited a lack of success at club level as a reason for leaving his boyhood club Atletico for Anfield in 2007. With Liverpool having exited the Champions League and League Cup and trailing Chelsea by 13 points in the Premier League, Benitez claims Torres and Steven Gerrard were aware of Liverpool’s financial situation when they penned new five-year contracts this summer.
“I think they both knew we had a different situation to other clubs [before they signed] and that we have to manage that,” said the Liverpool manager. “Everyone wants to win trophies here and our idea is to bring silverware to the club every single year if we can. But we have to manage now both things [the debt and the team]. We have lost some opportunities, but still we have the FA Cup and the Europa League and we will try to improve in the league.
“We can talk about the future but I would not be helping my players talking about June now . . . . But I was talking to Steven and Fernando about the future of the club and both were very supportive and they know the priority is to perform now, at this moment.”
Torres reiterated his commitment to Liverpool and Benitez in an interview with the Spanish media yesterday, stating: “Right now I don’t see myself playing elsewhere. Now I just want to improve the side’s standing and hopefully we’ll all remain here together.”
The striker also denied his future at Anfield is inextricably linked to the manager’s. “I don’t think Rafa will leave, especially halfway through the season,” Torres said. “He still has four years to run on his contract . . . I still have four years left on my contract and my future is here, it’s not linked to Rafa’s, but I hope we can see out our contracts here together.”
