Thursday, April 10, 2008

Torres On Mission To Moscow


Goal machine Fernando Torres is dreaming of Moscow glory as Liverpool march on in the Champions League.

Torres netted for the 29th time in what is a truly remarkable debut season in English football to help secure Tuesday night's dramatic 4-2 quarter-final second leg win over Arsenal.

And the 24-year-old is confident Liverpool can come out on top of yet another semi-final showdown with Chelsea later this month.

Torres arrived at Anfield last summer having never played in Europe for his boyhood club Atletico Madrid. Now he has bagged five goals in Liverpool's ride into the last four.

The Spaniard said: "This was the greatest night of my career so far. My dream now is to get to the final, it is what I have always wanted.

"And the fact that I am enjoying myself here in Liverpool makes it even more important.

"Yes we can get to the Moscow final in May. The two league games we have had with Chelsea this season were both draws, very close. We know we can do it."

He added: "I came to Liverpool for nights and games like this. It is hard to believe, the emotion, the fans, the high-tempo, everything about this is what I wanted and expected.

"It was a good game, I'm sure, for the people watching. And Arsenal are a fine side and played some very nice football. But we are in the semi-finals, which is what matters.

"We knew Arsenal would be difficult and Chelsea would be waiting. We needed to win and win well. It was difficult but we had worked hard all week with our preperation for the game and everything was worthwhile in the end.

"Maybe when Arsenal made it 2-2 I felt we were out. It was so near the end, five minutes away.

"But the magical place that Anfield is got us through. The fans were tremendous, but we had to play with our heads, not just our hearts.

"We had the believe, and we got two more goals in those final minutes to prove it. Liverpool is special, a special place, special fans, special city and a special team."

Life on Merseyside could not be better for Torres, already a Kop folk hero in the mould of Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush.

He said: "I'm so happy to be playing for Liverpool and to be living in this city. We do this for the supporters, and we aim to get to the final for them.

"Chelsea will be difficult, but the same as playing Arsenal, really. It is another English league side and it will be physical and a strong match.

"Now we have two games to get to the final. We have drawn with them twice in the league this season, so that means it will be very tight.

"We have two targets, to finish in the top four and to win the Champions League. We are getting to the final a step at a time, and we also must keep going in the league, too, to make sure we qualify for next season.

"I do not have any more personal targets, I am just doing my job to score goals. That is what I do.

"Everything was wonderful, all the work, the team play, the goals, everything. And to beat a great side like Arsenal, what a night.

"It was a very happy day for us."

Midfielder Javier Mascherano, currently suspended from domestic matches but able to play in Europe, could be heading for his second Champions League final in a year after his controversial arrival in English football.

He said: "Against Arsenal it was a good win and we will enjoy this moment because we know how difficult winning at this level is, so we are very happy now.

"The quarter-finals were two very difficult matches. In the first 20 minutes here we were no good, bad, but we came back well.

"They could play how they wanted to, but after Sami Hyypia's goal it was very good for us and the game changed then.

"In the second half, we could play how we wanted to and score how we wanted to.

"As for me, I know I made a mistake against Manchester United with the red card, so now I will try to concentrate on the Champions League.

"For this week, it has been the only competition in which I have been allowed to play in."

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