LIVERPOOL face more anxiety over Fernando Torres’s apparent injury curse – that only seems to strike while he’s on international duty.
The striker picked up a minor ankle knock while training with the Spanish team as they prepare for Euro 2008 but it was the third injury he has suffered while away with his country in the past nine months.
But Spain coach Luis Aragones wants Torres to feature for his side in Santander tonight when they take on USA in their final warm-up before the championships in Switzerland and Austria.
Although there is unlikely to be any long-term worries over Torres’s latest knock, his club manager Rafael Benitez will now hope that his record signing’s Spain curse doesn’t strike again.
In October he tore a muscle in his right leg during a training session, which kept him out for the best part of a month and forced him to miss the Merseyside derby.
He then limped out of the friendly against France in February with a thigh strain which sidelined him for a couple of weeks.
Spain kick off their Euro 2008 against Russia in Innsbruck on Tuesday and after a 33-goal debut season in England, Torres is unlikely to be wrapped in cotton wool.
Which will please, among many others, Xabi Alonso, whose future link-ups with the 24-year-old are set to be confined to international football as he stands on the verge of completing a move form Liverpool to Juventus.
The midfielder is sure Torres can shake off a Spanish scoring record that is relatively feeble compared to his club form and have as a big an impact on this tournament as he does at Anfield.
“The way we play with Spain is different to the way we play with Liverpool, but I think he is quite confident in himself,” said Alonso. “Whenever he gets the ball we think that something might happen.
“He has scored so many goals and hopefully he will continue this run in the Euros.
“Even the more optimistic could be surprised at how easily he settled at Liverpool because of the way he has performed.
“He has been so confident on the pitch and in front of goal and that is great news for Liverpool and Spain.
“And, obviously, it is hard but once he learns a few more things he will be even better.”
Alonso is keen to put underachievement behind him – both on a team and individual level.
The Spaniards have often been fancied as a force in major tournaments but their only trophy was the European Championship in 1964. They finished runners-up 20 years later but that was the last occasion they even got as far as the semi-finals of a competition.
And Alonso himself is aiming to erase the memory of a frustrating campaign at Anfield – which is almost certain to be his last – after being blighted by injuries and a downturn in form.
“There is no clear reason, but it’s clear we have underachieved,” he added.
“Each tournament is a great chance for us to try and prove that we can perform and be positive in a final tournament.
“Because of that we have faith in ourselves and we will strive to reach the level we expect and want to reach.”
Alonso added: “I feel that I have quite a good moment of form – I have quite fresh legs.
“Of course I had an injury before Christmas – for three months I was out – but now I am feeling fresher than if I would have played all of the games. It’s been a disappointing season because of the injury but right now I am in a good moment and hopefully that will continue.”
