Soccer:Fernando Torres has revealed he always dreamt more about winning the Champions League than the World Cup. The Chelsea striker, who is hoping to start tonight's semi-final first leg against Barcelona, has tasted both World Cup and European Championship glory with Spain in the last four years.
Torres has yet to win a major trophy at club level, a blot on his CV that prompted his record-breaking move to Stamford Bridge from Liverpool almost 15 months ago. No club has gone closer to winning the Champions League in the last decade without doing so than Chelsea, who thought buying Torres would finally lead them to that aim.
Torres admitted: “I know the ambitions this club have in terms of winning the Champions League, but it’s the same as what I have myself. It’s something I dreamt about as a youngster growing up.
“I never really thought about winning the World Cup as I thought it was impossible, but now I have achieved that and I know what it feels like, so to win the Champions League would be a dream come true. It was the only trophy I wanted as a kid, to hold it in my arms, and if we do manage to win it, I’m sure it will be one of the greatest moments of my life.”
Torres, who ended last season empty handed after his move south looked to have backfired, also has an FA Cup final against former club Liverpool to look forward to.
He added: “There isn’t one single club in the world that can guarantee trophies, but top teams like Chelsea are always fighting for them, so now it’s time to be patient, build a great team and it’s good for me to be involved with such a good side, like the one we have now.
“There’s still one month left in the season, we’re in the final of the FA Cup, the semi-finals of the Champions League and this is what I want. Whether you win or not, that is down to football, but we are there and that’s the main thing.”
Torres was in danger of being branded the most expensive flop in football history before Andre Villas-Boas was sacked as Chelsea manager six weeks ago.
He finally ended a run of more than 1,000 minutes without scoring under caretaker boss Roberto Di Matteo and has begun to look the player that was once feted as the greatest striker on the planet.
Di Matteo’s biggest selection dilemma ahead of tonight’s game is whether to start with Torres or Didier Drogba. Torres, who scored seven goals in 10 games against Barcelona whilst at Atletico Madrid, said: “I have a good record against Barcelona.
“They are the type of team you have to defend well against and play on the counter-attack, which is the type of game I enjoy. When I was at Atletico Madrid, we won at the Camp Nou two or three times. I certainly don’t feel as if I have anything to prove against Spanish opposition.”
