El Nino back on the big stage

He once was the world’s deadliest striker. Nowadays, the word ‘potent’ is hardly an apt description of his capabilities.  In fact, if anything, Fernando Torres has been a flop in recent years and has found himself in the featuring in the blooper reel more often than Chelsea’s starting XI. And, for many, his return to Atletico Madrid was his last hurrah. And so they said.

Indeed, it was at Vicente Calderon where it began, becoming top scorer in La Liga for five consecutive seasons. His emphatic explosion onto the footballing landscape saw a move to Liverpool where he tormented Premier League defences week in, week out.

His demise, though, began at the 2010 World Cup, where his inability to regain fitness saw him feature sporadically for La Roja. Subsequent moves away from the Merseyside to Chelsea and Milan proved redundant, and yet, Diego Simeone, for all his nous in the transfer window, gave Torres a life-line.

“What was he thinking?” outsiders queried. And while many deemed the move as ludicrous, there was a sense of optimism at the Calderon. For Los Rojiblancos’ faithful, they could not be happier to witness the homecoming of one the club’s greatest products. Talk about optimism. It seems their faith in Torres has finally paid off, and his goal-scoring exploits as of late have been a revelation.

It all started in Atleti’s Copa Del Rey tie against cross-town rivals Real Madrid, at Santiago Bernabeu. A few days after the superstars at Los Blancos left their mark at the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards, the reigning champions were out to secure the city’s bragging rights. With Simeone’s men still fuming at their lack of reward in Zurich for their ground-breaking 2013-14 season, Atletico made the perfect reply, Torres netting almost immediately.

More recently, against Barcelona, Fernando Torres once again showed why he’s transformed figure and the red and white strip as he gave Atleti the lead inside 39 seconds. And while his side went on to lose out, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched to say that there’s more to come from the 30-year-old. And, once again, it seems El derbi Madrileno could well be the perfect stage to put to rest the demons that have plagued in the last couple of years.

Even though Torres has been a shadow of his former self in past years, he has always come up with the goods on the big occasion. The goal for Chelsea in the 2012 Champions League semi-final against Barca, his four goals in the European Championships of that same year and his strike in the final of the Europa League all suggest Torres has never lost the knack of popping up at the right place and scoring at the right time.

The only problem really has been his ability to do so on a regular basis. With Jose Mourinho often changing the tactical outlook, one week sucking the life out of teams with possession-based football, the next, hitting on the counter, Torres couldn’t become accustomed to one singular style of play. But, as a player who thrives in space, Simeone’s Atletico side was the perfect place for him to resurrect his career.

With his confidence growing, El Nino can no longer be referred to as a liability. Not only is he scoring goals, but also cleverly linking up with teammates with flicks and tricks. In addition, his defensive work-rate has increased and he now presses higher up the pitch, giving his team the upper hand.

Atletico have a perfect opportunity not only to consolidate their status as the capital’s best, but also to cut Los Blancos’ lead at the top. And with 17 fixtures left, a win here could put them in good stead for successfully defending their crown.

No one will ever really understand what Torres went through. No one will ever realise the difference between playing in front of a stadium full of doubters and one filled with adorning fans. Nevertheless, the swagger is back. And against a depleted Real outfit, Torres has the perfect opportunity to lead his side to a famous victory.

La Liga - Club News