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28 March 2024

Chelsea flop Torres wants to shine for Spain

Fernando Torres of Spain strikes the ball during a training session on Sunday in Schruns, Austria. (GETTY)

Published
By AFP

Spanish striker Fernando Torres claimed on Monday he was feeling in phenomenal form and hoped that he would be entrusted with leading the defending champions attack at Euro 2012 next month.

The 28-year-old Chelsea marksman has suffered a serious slump in form and confidence for both club and country since being a bit part player in Spain's 2010 World Cup triumph.

However, having made Vicente del Bosque's squad and helping Chelsea to their penalty shootout defeat of Bayern Munich in the Champions League final the former Atletico Madrid star said he felt everything was clicking into gear.

"We (the Spanish squad) are all in it to do our best for the team," said Torres, who revealed last week that he was not happy at Chelsea despite their Champions League success.

"I felt better and better as the season drew to a close and I believe I am now in phenomenal form."

Torres, who scored just six league goals last season and has been ravaged in the press since his 50 million pound move from Liverpool in January 2011, admitted the absence through injury of Spain's all-time scorer David Villa and talismanic defender Carles Puyol would be felt.

"We will try and make up for those two not being at the finals, while accepting that it will not be simple," said Torres.

Torres, who may find his future at Chelsea more secure now that Didier Drogba has said he is moving on and Salomon Kalou has also been told he can leave, said there remained a fierce desire within the squad to retain their title.

"The atmosphere within the team is the same as always, we are hungry for a third successive title," he said.

"The other teams know how we play, the matches against us will be for them enormous games."

Spain - who beat Serbia 2-0 on Saturday in their first warm-up game - are due to leave their training camp on Tuesday for Switzerland where they will play South Korea in Bern and a final warm-up match against China in Seville on June 3.

The Spanish open their defence of the trophy against Italy on June 10 in Gdansk, Poland, followed by the Republic of Ireland on June 14 in Warsaw and round off their Group C games against 2008 quarter-finalists Croatia on June 18.