Fernando Torres recalls his first game at Anfield: "I said to Pepe Reina, I think I'm going to score every time we play here"
Fernando Torres revealed what Pepe Reina told him to expect in his first experience of Anfield and why he will always put Atlético before himself.
Fernando Torres admitted that on a handful of occasions, he has "sacrificed" what he loves doing more than anything else in the world - playing for Atlético de Madrid, and adds he will continue to do so if that is what's best for the Rojiblancos.
Atlético always comes first
“I always want the best for Atleti. There’s nothing I want more than to be able to play here but I am willing to sacrifice that if it is in the best interests of the club", Torres explained in an interview for Universo Valdano programme which will be aired on beIN LaLiga tonight.
Torres recently announced that he would be leaving Atlético at the end of the season, a decision he has made "because that is what is best for Atlético", adding, "That is the position I now find myself in. I’ll always put Atleti first, before myself".
Anfield experience
El Niño also spoke about leaving his childhood club to join Liverpool in 2007 and being taken aback by the defeaning noise which could be heard from the players' tunnel. “I remember my first game at Anfield against Chelsea. [It was so loud] I couldn’t hear a thing - the atmosphere was spectacular. We greeted the Chelsea players and Pepe Reina came up to me and said, 'Hey, this is what I was telling you about. You deserve this, let’s go out and enjoy it’. Then, in our next game at Anfield. I turned to Pepe said, ‘You know, Pepe, I think I am going to score here in every game at this stadium…everything is perfect’".
Not quite everything it turns out - at least not as far as the manager was concerned. Rafa Benítez wanted to squeeze the very best out of the Liverpool No.9: “Rafa would say. 'Well done for scoring three goals but you lost the ball 10 times…' That was how Rafa was and that was his way of getting more out of you, he would always demand a little bit more”.