The Spain coach, Vicente del Bosque, has assured Rafael Benítez that Fernando Torres will not be put at risk against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday after the Liverpool striker suffered an adductor problem on international duty.
Liverpool received three injury scares at the weekend when Torres was withdrawn during Spain's 2-1 win in Armenia, Steven Gerrard suffered a groin problem in England's defeat in Ukraine and Dirk Kuyt damaged his ankle in Holland's goalless friendly in Australia. Kuyt will be assessed by Liverpool's medical team upon his return from Sydney tomorrow, while Gerrard is expected to be fit for Belarus's visit to Wembley on Wednesday. Torres's condition continues to worry Liverpool, however.
Benítez has spoken to Del Bosque, a friend and former colleague from Real Madrid, since Torres's substitution against Armenia. The striker, who suffered several injuries on international duty last season to the detriment of Liverpool's title challenge, was subsequently unable to train yesterday. He also missed a training session before the Armenia game with the same adductor problem.
With Sunderland away, Lyon at home in the Champions League and a first league meeting of the season with Manchester United awaiting Liverpool, Benítez can ill‑afford to lose his leading forward. Though Del Bosque has not sanctioned Torres's release from the Spain squad, despite having already qualified for South Africa, he guaranteed the Liverpool manager that the 25-year-old will only play against Bosnia if fully fit.
"Torres is in very good hands here," Del Bosque said. "Yesterday he stayed at the hotel and did not train because we went to a pitch in which there was no stretcher. He stayed at the hotel with the physios. Rafa Benítez has called me and I reassured him. We will care very much for Torres, like the rest. I told him [Benítez] that we will treat Torres as if he was at Liverpool. If the boy is well and wants to play, he will play against Bosnia. And if he has any problem, he will not play. It's that simple."
The Spanish football federation reiterated that Torres would not be released early, unlike the Barcelona midfielder Xavi, who is carrying a similar injury, and lasted only 55 minutes against Armenia due to an adductor problem. "Fernando Torres will not abandon the Spain camp as several media outlets have said," announced the federation. "The forward, who has been hindered by some adductor pain, underwent a scan after lunch which showed encouraging results."
