Torres not yet fully fit
The head of Liverpool's medical team, Peter Brukner, has said that the team's Spanish striker Fernando Torres is ahead of his rehabilitation schedule, but also added that he is not yet at full match fitness.
Brukner's comments came at the end of a week during which Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson openly pleaded for Spain's national team coach Vicente del Bosque to rest Torres during the international break. The Spaniard has been troubled by a knee injury this year and injured his groin in July's World Cup final.
"We're now at the stage where he can play the whole game,” Brukner told the club’s official website. “He's still not at his physical peak, that will take another three or four weeks, but I think you can see in every game he's played he's improving.”
Torres featured in Liverpool’s win against Stoke last Sunday, a game in which he scored the only goal. "He started off with a few minutes, then a few more minutes and then started the last couple of [Premier League] games. But for the kick on the shin against West Brom he would have played the whole game,” Brukner added.
Integral to Liverpool's game
Torres, who joined Liverpool in 2007 and quickly became one of the club's most celebrated players, has been included in the Spanish squad that faces Liechtenstein on Friday and Argentina on Tuesday. Eager to improve on his subdued World Cup performance, Torres is likely to feature for Spain if called upon by del Bosque.
Despite his injury-ridden season last year, Torres scored 22 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool, proving his immeasurable worth for the club.
It was rumoured that the striker would leave Liverpool following the club’s failure to qualify for this year’s Champions League, but like captain Steven Gerrard, Torres has committed his future to the club.
"I don't think it will be too long before the old Fernando Torres is back,” Brukner said, “and I'm looking forward to that."
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