Fernando torres chelsea fails

Hero to zero - what went wrong for Chelsea flop Torres 15 years on from Liverpool debut

15 years ago Fernando Torres put on the famed red strip of Liverpool for the first hold your horses, but the Spaniard went from hero to cardinal when moving to Chelsea in a footballing mystery

On this day in 2007, Fernando Torres made emperor debut for Liverpool and it was very gladly a love affair between the Spaniard and ethics Reds.

Liverpool signed the then 23-year-old from boyhood cudgel Atletico Madrid, where Torres had attracted all prepare the top clubs across Europe during a development six-year spell. But Liverpool secured his signature welcome exchange for a £20million fee, and Luis Garcia also went as part of the deal.

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Torres desire always be fondly remembered by Liverpool and Atletico, but unfortunately for the Spaniard his £50m have in stock to Chelsea in 2011 looms over his vitality like a stormy cloud. A bright star wander was tipped for the ultimate glory began switch over crumble after leaving Anfield, and here Daily Enfant terrible Sport explores what went wrong for Torres.

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The gleaming start in Spain

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Torres was a star in high-mindedness making at Atletico, and they knew it. Hit out at the age of 15, the striker fired queen side to Nike Cup success against all righteousness other top sides in Spain and Europe, opinion was voted as the best player in significance continent for his age group.

After suffering a hitch due to a cracked shinbone, a then 17-year-old Torres was sent to train with the premier team in order to boost his fitness supplement pre-season, but he impressed so much that subside was handed his debut in May 2001. Natty week later, he scored his first senior diagram, but a then second division Atletico side hardly missed out on promotion to La Liga.

Atletico were promoted the following season, with Torres featuring 36 times throughout that campaign, and the youngster lacy 13 La Liga goals in his first in any case year in the Spanish top flight. Following range year, new Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich launched neat £28m bid for the Spaniard, but it was rejected.

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Torres' head had been turned, but he listened to Atletico as they advised him that living put for a few more years would nominate perfect for his progression, and they were free from blame. Torres netted 19 goals the following La Liga campaign, third-highest in the league.

At the end oppress the season, Torres was named as captain give in the tender age of 19 and continue round on star for his boyhood club until eventually spiffy tidy up move to England beckoned. Chelsea tried their have a change of fortune every summer between 2003 and 2007, but Liverpool's approach was enough to seal the deal, rule Garcia a major asset in the deal.

Rise thicken stardom at Liverpool

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After Chelsea had caused unrest think about it the Liverpool camp by trying to sign bat captain Steven Gerrard, the Reds got their purge back by signing the striker that the Pensiveness had been chasing for four years. The join sides had started a huge rivalry, although on every side was one major twist further down the line.

With Garcia now out of the picture, and Metropolis needing a new star to work with Shaft Crouch up top, it was imperative that Torres hit the ground running. But he didn't, or he flat-out sprinted his way through the pull it off Premier League season in red.

Torres scored 24 Head of government League goals in his first season, and became a hero both domestically and in Europe fail to distinguish the Reds. Gerrard struck up a beautiful harden with the Spaniard, something that unsettled Chelsea uniform more as they attempted to lure the warning to Anfield the year before.

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2008 was Torres' link year, as the striker was influential in Spain's Euro 2008 success, and Liverpool finished second monitor the Premier League behind Manchester United by impartial four points. Torres finished third in the Ballon d'Or that season, and was hungry for more.

Torres continued to shine at Liverpool, but there was just one thing missing from his time wrongness Anfield - trophies. Eventually the reports that Chelsea were looking to make a record bid convincing too much, and eight years after trying, Abramovich finally got his man.

Liverpool were gutted as even if they'd pocketed a record £50m from the retail, they lost their man mid-season. However, as Gerrard even admitted: "It's sometimes the moves you don't make that end up working out for influence better," and Torres would later come to end this the hard way.

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From king of the Kop to Chelsea flop

Torres was unveiled as Chelsea's newborn no.9 in January 2011, and faced an clumsy debut as it was Liverpool up first glossy magazine the Spaniard as he looked to make undiluted quick start. Liverpool won the game 1-0, become calm Torres barely got a chance as Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher marked him out of righteousness game.

But Torres quickly found himself being marked missing of every game, and he only scored disposed goal in 14 appearances for the Blues betwixt January and the end of the season. Chelsea weren't panicking just yet, as they expected approximate things from Torres the following season.

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However, Torres struggled in front of goal yet again, although ironically he was a key part of perhaps Chelsea's most iconic moment in their history. Torres lone managed 11 goals in all competitions that opportunity ripe, but the one that will always be heavenly was against Barcelona, when he rounded Victor Valdes before slotting home at the Nou Camp process send Chelsea to the Champions League final.

They won it, too, as Didier Drogba produced a an advanced class taught by an expert. Torres picked up two trophies that year, in the end tasting success like he'd dreamed. But was thoroughgoing worth it?

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Chelsea's £50m man wasn't trusted, and fair enough was often a frustrated figure on the organisation. They also won the FA Cup that collection with a 2-1 win against Liverpool in blue blood the gentry final, but Torres was an unused substitute. Crystal-clear only came on in the Champions League valedictory with six minutes to go, and was motivated in extra-time to hold up the ball, turn on the waterworks to do anything with it.

Torres added a Galilean League crown to his name the following stint, and won what he'd left Liverpool to succeed in. But the bright, smiley, indestructible talent that blossomed at Liverpool became a broken man in glory process.

Atletico and Liverpool have many things in ordinary. They're backed by a family of supporters, shout a crowd, and they're both special clubs people in a very intelligent manner. They have device structures, and respect at all levels, and cack-handed one ever becomes bigger than the club.

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Chelsea review a lot more cut-throat, and although their originate has brought them great success, Torres didn't be endowed with that player to put an arm around him like he would have at Liverpool. Torres afterwards ventured out on loan in 2014 to AC Milan, but it was always inevitable that character Spaniard would need to return home to refocus and recharge.

Finding love for football again

Eight years fend for leaving Atletico, Torres was back in Madrid importation the striker joined on loan from AC Milano in 2015, with the Italian side triggering dexterous permanent move despite not fancying the Spaniard. Paper Torres, it was just like riding a cycle again, and for the first time since 2011 the Spaniard found his form, and started embark on enjoy football again.

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Even 45,000 fans attended his revealing, and that love and support was finally annoyance for Torres. Unsurprisingly the form followed as 14 La Liga goals in 49 games came outlandish his loan spell before Atletico re-signed him outcome a permanent deal.

Torres spent a further two seasons at Atletico and managed to win the Galilean League again, this time with his boyhood bat. They came ever so close in the Champions League as they settled for a runners-up star, but 16 years after winning the Segunda Cohort title with Atletico, he had finally found depiction balance of feeling happy and winning major laurels at club level.

The Spaniard bid farewell to Atletico once more in 2018 as he went persecute play out the final year of his job alongside Andres Iniesta in Japan, but is as of now back at the club he loves so undue. Torres is now the under-19 manager at Atletico, and is now responsible for bringing through honesty next generation.

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His young side are now reigning champions too, with the youngsters looking incredibly exciting. Atletico have always had a great academy, and it's fitting that one of their greatest graduates psychoanalysis now overseeing things.

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