Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson has backed Euro 2008 winner Fernando Torres to shoot Liverpool to next season’s Premier League title.
Ex-Atletico Madrid forward Torres was a key player for Spain and scored the winner in the final to hand his nation a 1-0 victory over Germany in Vienna on Sunday.
And after the Spaniard picked up his first piece of major silverware, in the process ending his side’s 44-year wait for international gold, Lawrenson believes that more titles could beckon for the striker, starting with next season’s Premier League.
"Amazingly, winning the European Championship was the first major piece of silverware that Torres has lifted during his career but now that he's off the mark it can only bode well for Liverpool next season," the BBC pundit told the press.
"Having become a European champion with his nation, Torres will be eager to repeat the feat at club level and following the end of Spain's long wait he'll be determined to bring to an end Liverpool's search for the Premier League title too, which I think he will do."
Torres' goal on Sunday, a perfectly weighted chip over the onrushing Jens Lehmann, was the perfect way to cap a high quality tournament, and Lawrenson feels that he was the only player on the pitch capable of producing such a moment.
"Grabbing the winner in the final against Germany was obviously a great way for Fernando Torres to end the Euro 2008 tournament and I reckon that he was probably the only player on the pitch capable of scoring that goal," he added.
"We're all well aware now that Torres is a special player and when you look at where he was and the fact that Jens Lehmann was hurtling towards him, he did incredibly well to get his goal.
"With that little bit of pace and little bit of power he was able to get the better of the German goalkeeper and secure Spain's first silverware in 44 years.
"One or two people have suggested to me that Liverpool’s number nine actually had quite an average tournament overall but I’d have to disagree.
"Torres was instrumental in David Villa finishing as top scorer although I thought he actually played better without the Valencia striker alongside him.
"He was able to play more of his natural game in the final with Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas operating just behind him in a Steven Gerrard-style role.
"Torres is similar to Thierry Henry in his pomp at Arsenal in that he likes to play up front on his own, getting his support from the various creative outlets in midfield.
"He enjoys the freedom and as a result Christoph Metzelder and Per Mertesacker were given a torrid time throughout the final."
Ex-Atletico Madrid forward Torres was a key player for Spain and scored the winner in the final to hand his nation a 1-0 victory over Germany in Vienna on Sunday.
And after the Spaniard picked up his first piece of major silverware, in the process ending his side’s 44-year wait for international gold, Lawrenson believes that more titles could beckon for the striker, starting with next season’s Premier League.
"Amazingly, winning the European Championship was the first major piece of silverware that Torres has lifted during his career but now that he's off the mark it can only bode well for Liverpool next season," the BBC pundit told the press.
"Having become a European champion with his nation, Torres will be eager to repeat the feat at club level and following the end of Spain's long wait he'll be determined to bring to an end Liverpool's search for the Premier League title too, which I think he will do."
Torres' goal on Sunday, a perfectly weighted chip over the onrushing Jens Lehmann, was the perfect way to cap a high quality tournament, and Lawrenson feels that he was the only player on the pitch capable of producing such a moment.
"Grabbing the winner in the final against Germany was obviously a great way for Fernando Torres to end the Euro 2008 tournament and I reckon that he was probably the only player on the pitch capable of scoring that goal," he added.
"We're all well aware now that Torres is a special player and when you look at where he was and the fact that Jens Lehmann was hurtling towards him, he did incredibly well to get his goal.
"With that little bit of pace and little bit of power he was able to get the better of the German goalkeeper and secure Spain's first silverware in 44 years.
"One or two people have suggested to me that Liverpool’s number nine actually had quite an average tournament overall but I’d have to disagree.
"Torres was instrumental in David Villa finishing as top scorer although I thought he actually played better without the Valencia striker alongside him.
"He was able to play more of his natural game in the final with Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas operating just behind him in a Steven Gerrard-style role.
"Torres is similar to Thierry Henry in his pomp at Arsenal in that he likes to play up front on his own, getting his support from the various creative outlets in midfield.
"He enjoys the freedom and as a result Christoph Metzelder and Per Mertesacker were given a torrid time throughout the final."
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