Rafael Benitez is heading for another club versus country row with Spain after coach Vicente Del Bosque insisted Fernando Torres could return to Liverpool “in better shape” after tonight’s friendly with England.
The Spanish coach insists he has not had a fall-out with Benitez over the striker, who has been visibly fatigued in recent weeks despite his return to goalscoring form.
Torres was taken off in the recent league game with Wigan and in extra time during the FA Cup exit to Everton last week.
On Saturday at Portsmouth he scored the winning goal, although he was only brought on for the final 14 minutes.
Liverpool manager Benitez has accepted that at least a 45-minute appearance in Seville is inevitable, but Del Bosque has hinted at giving Torres significantly more.
He said: “It might be good for Fernando Torres to play a lot of minutes and go back to Liverpool in better shape.
“You cannot make a decision in advance because then the game doesn’t go the way you expect.
“I know my starting 11 but it will depend on the match. You can’t say this or that person is going to play 40 or 45 minutes because you don’t know what is going to happen.”
Del Bosque is helped by the fact Liverpool have no game this weekend because they are not in the FA Cup, but Benitez will be concerned that his forward is further exposed to the risk of injury.
Captain Steven Gerrard will already be missing with a hamstring injury when they return to Premier League action at home to Manchester City a week on Sunday, and further injuries could leave them shorn of attacking options in a week when they face Real Madrid in the Champions League.
“There has been no conflict with Rafa Benitez,” Del Bosque said. “I have always had good contact with him and was in Villarreal earlier this season when Liverpool played a friendly there.
“There is a perfectly correct relationship with Liverpool. I spoke to him last Friday and of course we spoke about the players and their physical condition.”
Del Bosque added: “It was a perfectly cordial discussion and I would rather base my decision on what Rafa has said to me, not what has appeared in the press.”
Torres has already been injured while on international duty three times in his 18-month Liverpool career.
The last occasion came in a World Cup qualifier with Belgium, when he picked up a hamstring strain that eventually kept him out for the whole of December.
The 24-year-old made a scoring return to the Reds side as a substitute at Preston in the FA Cup on January 2, and he has since made seven appearances.
Benitez will also be monitoring Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Albert Riera and Pepe Reina, who are also in the Spain squad to take on England.
The Spanish coach insists he has not had a fall-out with Benitez over the striker, who has been visibly fatigued in recent weeks despite his return to goalscoring form.
Torres was taken off in the recent league game with Wigan and in extra time during the FA Cup exit to Everton last week.
On Saturday at Portsmouth he scored the winning goal, although he was only brought on for the final 14 minutes.
Liverpool manager Benitez has accepted that at least a 45-minute appearance in Seville is inevitable, but Del Bosque has hinted at giving Torres significantly more.
He said: “It might be good for Fernando Torres to play a lot of minutes and go back to Liverpool in better shape.
“You cannot make a decision in advance because then the game doesn’t go the way you expect.
“I know my starting 11 but it will depend on the match. You can’t say this or that person is going to play 40 or 45 minutes because you don’t know what is going to happen.”
Del Bosque is helped by the fact Liverpool have no game this weekend because they are not in the FA Cup, but Benitez will be concerned that his forward is further exposed to the risk of injury.
Captain Steven Gerrard will already be missing with a hamstring injury when they return to Premier League action at home to Manchester City a week on Sunday, and further injuries could leave them shorn of attacking options in a week when they face Real Madrid in the Champions League.
“There has been no conflict with Rafa Benitez,” Del Bosque said. “I have always had good contact with him and was in Villarreal earlier this season when Liverpool played a friendly there.
“There is a perfectly correct relationship with Liverpool. I spoke to him last Friday and of course we spoke about the players and their physical condition.”
Del Bosque added: “It was a perfectly cordial discussion and I would rather base my decision on what Rafa has said to me, not what has appeared in the press.”
Torres has already been injured while on international duty three times in his 18-month Liverpool career.
The last occasion came in a World Cup qualifier with Belgium, when he picked up a hamstring strain that eventually kept him out for the whole of December.
The 24-year-old made a scoring return to the Reds side as a substitute at Preston in the FA Cup on January 2, and he has since made seven appearances.
Benitez will also be monitoring Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Albert Riera and Pepe Reina, who are also in the Spain squad to take on England.
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