Benitez: Torres can be a club idol here

Jul 6 2007 by Nick Smith, Liverpool Daily Post

RAFAEL BENITEZ has tipped Fernando Torres to become as much of an icon at Liverpool as he was at Atletico Madrid.

The 23-year-old record signing was the darling of the Atletico faithful after making his debut for them at 17 and becoming their youngest captain just two years later.

He hit 82 goals in 214 appearances for the Spanish club before completing his £20million move to Liverpool on Wednesday and Liverpool manager Benitez reckons if he continues to deliver the goals, Torres will achieve similar hero status at Anfield.

“Torres was the captain, he was the icon, he was the leader,” said Benitez. “He can do similar things now we have brought him here.

“He will have a really good relationship with the supporters because he can play physically with passion.

“If you know the supporters of Atletico Madrid, they are really good and always behind the club.

“He was seven years playing at Atletico. Everybody was talking about him all the time after every game.

“He knows what pressure is because Atletico is a big club.

“But I’d like to think we can improve him a lot. It’s clear he can improve.

“He has this potential and he wants to improve.”

Despite Torres’s laid-back demeanour, Benitez insists he has the right attitude to become an instant fans’ favourite.

His willingness for the battle was exemplified by the whole-hearted way he finished his Atletico career, despite being aware that the club he longed to join were preparing a bid for him.

Benitez said: “Last year Atletico weren’t playing in the Champion’s League or in Europe but he was always there fighting.

“In the last two games of the season he had an ankle injury and he was limping but he still played because he wanted to put his team in the UEFA Cup.

“Sometimes players now will have an injury and say ‘okay I cannot play’ but he was talking with his doctor and fighting for his club.

“He knew we were really interested but he wanted to give 100% for his former club.”

“When I talked to him, he talked about his determination to move here and learn things and also to fight for trophies.

“All these things for me are really important.”

Torres won’t feature in the forthcoming friendlies at Wrexham tomorrow and Crewe Alexandra the following weekend as he returns to the holiday he interrupted to sign for Liverpool.

“He will come back on July 11 because he needs to rest a little bit more as the Spanish season finished a little bit later than ours,” said Benitez.

“He won’t play at Wrexham on Saturday or Crewe but he will play in Switzerland at the training camp.”