Torres wants to win Champions League & stay for long with Liverpool

LIVERPOOL may be embroiled in a race with Manchester United for the Premier League title – but star striker Fernando Torres has his eyes firmly fixed on winning the Champions League.


Rafael Benitez’s side take on Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at Anfield tomorrow, and Torres says his part in Spain’s victorious Euro 2008 campaign has given him the taste for more Euro success.

Torres said: “Domestic titles are very important but to win the Champions League you are saying we are the best team in Europe.

"This club has a great record in the European Cup but now I want to be a part of that history.

“Winning the European Championship was a great thing for me and I understood what it was to win a major trophy and what I had been missing.

“On the way home from the European Championship I made a promise that I wanted

more of this success with Liverpool and it does not come any bigger than the European Cup.”

Meanwhile, Torres hailed the decision of Steven Gerrard to sign a new contract, saying the Liverpool skipper is one of the best players in the game.

“Stevie has been getting a lot of praise from some of the best players in the world,” added Torres. “That is quite right because I think he is the best in the world. He is a great team player but he can also win a game on his own when maybe we are not playing so well.

“I would love to see him have a lot more success. I cannot think of a player I would rather be playing with. We know it is not going to be easy against Chelsea on Wednesday but both Stevie and I are happy with our form.”

The Spanish striker also reiterated his own desire to stay at the club for the long term.

He said: “I have said many times the only club I would leave Atletico Madrid for was Liverpool, and nothing has changed there.

“They are the only two clubs that are in my heart.

“I have supported Liverpool since I was a boy and I intend on staying here a very long time.”