Inside La Liga: Indian summer for Torres - 7M sport

Inside La Liga: Indian summer for Torres



Posted Monday, January 05, 2015 by irishexaminer.com

It is fair to say that the local reaction to Fernando Torres rejoining Atletico Madrid this week will have surprised many outside Spain.

Inside La Liga: Indian summer for Torres

On New Year’s Eve, large crowds of fans and journalists were at Madrid’s airport when Torres flew in from Dubai to complete the deal. He then spent almost an hour on Friday signing autographs after his medical. Even local police called in as extra training ground security had their photo taken with the returning ‘El Niño’.

All this might seem strange to those more accustomed to viewing Torres as a bungling target for ridicule. But it makes sense to those who remember the early years of the last decade when Atletico were relegated amid legal battles over the club’s ownership, and concern about its future viability.

The one hope during these ‘seasons in hell’ was an angel-faced local boy who debuted in La Segunda in 2001 aged 17, and within two years was captaining a side including current coach Diego Simeone back in the top flight. 91 goals in 244 games later he left for Liverpool in summer 2007 for a badly needed €30 million.

Torres’ initial success in England was cheered by many rojiblanco fans. He also soon scored the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final, and then played a pretty big part in La Roja’s 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 victories. Those who chose not to closely watch his long struggles with form and fitness at Chelsea could keep alive the image of the golden boy.

Last season, returning to the Estadio Vicente Calderon with Chelsea in the Champions League, he was loudly cheered by home fans before and after the game.

Few local reporters this week dwelled on his one goal in 10 outings over five months at AC Milan this season. Footage of him repeatedly missing an open goal at training last week went viral globally, but was mostly ignored by the Madrid media.

These two contrasting views on the soon to be 31-year-old appear to have helped seal his return.

Full details of the complex 18-month loan, which also sees Italian attacker Alessio Cerci joining Milan, have not been released. But both Chelsea and Milan are still apparently footing some of Torres’ salary. AS editor Alfredo Relano says the swap-deal features “a thick cloud of financial engineering”.

The returning hero was feted by the Calderon before Saturday’s La Liga game at home to Levante.

24 hours later an estimated 40,000 fans were welcomed into the stadium for Torres’ official presentation. Having so many youngsters passing the Atletico club shop two days before Christmas gifts are handed out in Spain was perfect timing.

Atletico’s directors have been saying loudly that this was a football decision, not based on emotion or marketing, and Simeone on Friday stuck to the official line.

“Football, like politics and religion, is full of opinions,” the Argentinian coach said. “People can talk all they want, but Fernando’s return will benefit the team.”

Torres could feature in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey last 16 first leg game at home to city rivals Real Madrid, who he never beat during his first seven seasons as a rojiblanco.

Time has however moved on at Atletico. Simeone’s La Liga champions have beaten their richer neighbours four times in the last 18 months. Amid the hype, the coach has admitted that first choices Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann will be hard to shift from team.

“The club has grown since I’ve been away,” Torres admitted at yesterday’s presentation. “I’m here to bring what I can. I want to win trophies.”

The comments were clearly heartfelt. But it remains a very open question if his return will be any more than a short-lived marketing coup.



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