SPAIN coach Luis Aragones has dismissed speculation his decision to substitute Fernando Torres during the 4-1 Euro 2008 victory against Russia has caused a rift with his star striker.
Aragones chose to withdraw the Liverpool frontman after just 54 minutes on Tuesday, replacing him with midfielder Cesc Fabregas, with his team already holding a 2-0 advantage.
The 69-year-old coach later explained his reason for substituting Torres was a tactical one as he sought to add "one more player in the midfield to try to keep a clean sheet."
Torres, however, was clearly bemused by the decision as he left the pitch, opting not to acknowledge Aragones’s outstretched arm as he passed the coach.
Despite that show of petulance, Aragones said there was no ill-felling between himself and the player with the pair resolving the matter in the dressing-room after the game.
"I understand why the player is angry and I am behind him, but it is important to correct these things afterwards," Aragones said.
"They are things which stay in the dressing-room...(but) things won’t stay like that, we won’t let things like that fester."
Torres was instrumental in Spain’s opening goal of the night when he unselfishly laid off a pass to strike partner David Villa to tap home into an unguarded net.
That would be the first goal of a hat-trick for Villa whose impressive display stole the limelight from Torres, who was expected to spearhead the Spanish attack.
After scoring his third goal of the night, Villa raced to the bench where he embraced the already- substituted Torres and Aragones said that gesture was reflective of the "cohesion" in the team.
"I understand that a player gets angry when he is substituted, it has happened to me, but the atmosphere in the team is extraordinary," Aragones said.
Aragones also took time to praise Torres for his contribution while he was on the pitch, highlighting his defensive work to limit the contribution of Russia’s attack- minded full-back Roman Shirokov.
"Torres also contributed and worked up front to block Shirokov and he did it perfectly," Aragones said.
"The goals are a product of Villa, but the first (goal) was given to him by Torres."
Former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho was also glowing in his praise for Torres, pointing the striker’s assist for the first goal as evidence of his importance to the team.
"Torres’s generosity in the first goal was admirable," he said.
"When you are a striker, it’s not easy to see a team-mate when you are bearing down on the goalkeeper, but he had the presence of mind to give the ball to Villa. That was a great gesture."
Camacho, who led Spain to the quarter-finals of Euro 2000, was delighted with the performance of Aragones’ side.
"It was a great start," he said. "They have demonstrated that they are here at the European Championship with an attacking football, with a passing game and creating plenty of chances.
"(Carles) Puyol, (Marcos) Senna and Villa stood out in a team at a very high level," he added.
Camacho also praised Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta.
"Iniesta can do everything with the ball at his feet," he said.
"Only players with something different in their head and in their feet are capable of passes like the one for the second goal."
However, Torres admitted: "At the time I wasn’t happy but the disappointment soon went. The team is the important thing."
Meanwhile, hat-trick hero David Villa paid tribute to strike partner Torres.
Immediately after slotting the ball past Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev to complete his treble 15 minutes from time, Villa raced to the Spain bench to embrace Torres, who had been substituted in the 54th minute and replaced by Cesc Fabregas.
That was the third Spain match in just over a week where Torres has been taken off early, with coach Luis Aragones substituting the Liverpool striker at half-time in both friendly matches against the United States and Peru.
Torres has now failed to score in each of those three matches – albeit whilst not always at peak fitness – and although he has been prolific during his first season at Liverpool, he has notched just once for his country since 2006.
All that has led to speculation about the striker’s ability to perform for Spain the way he does for Liverpool, but Villa was keen to show Torres he is fully behind the former Atletico Madrid man.
"The first two goals were with the help of Torres," said Villa.
"You saw what happened with the first one and with the second he opened the space so (Andres) Iniesta could make the pass to me," Villa added.
"I think he had a very important game, he’s a key player to us and I wanted to dedicate that third goal to make him happy."
Villa’s treble, with the goals coming in the 20th, 45th and 75th minutes, ensured Spain got off to a flying start in their bid to win their first European Championships since 1964.
The performance earned Villa the man-of-the-match award, but the Valencia man was more pleased with the fact that it took Spain a step closer to the quarter-finals.
"More than anything I am happy with the three points that give us a lot of options to continue to the next phase, and of course I am very happy to have scored the goals as well," said Villa, whose role in the Spain side and compatibility with Torres was an area of debate heading into the tournament.
"My aim is continue helping the national team, to work hard to try and score more goals.
"I want to play as much as possible."
Spain coach Aragones spoke glowingly about both his strikers, saying: "Villa has played very well, he scored three goals and could have scored more.
"Torres also did a good job, especially in the first two goals. I am happy with the team."
Russia coach Guus Hiddink famously got one over on the Spanish in the 2002 World Cup when his South Korea side won a quarter-final showdown on penalties.
There was little chance of Hiddink’s latest side achieving a similar scalp once Villa had taken the game by the scruff of the neck, but the Dutchman believes his inexperienced team could take a lot of out of the game.
"We had our chances, but we were too naive and ended up being punished because Spain have players who can to that," Hiddink said.
"In any case, I think that we can learn from this lesson. There are two games remaining and I have told my players that although it has been a heavy result, we can still bounce back if we learn from the match.
