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Torres set for Atletico comeback

Liverpool are optimistic striker Fernando Torres will win his race to be fit to face former club Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Torres, 24, has not played since suffering a hamstring injury last month, but manager Rafa Benitez hopes to have him in his squad

"Hopefully he'll be ready," he said on Monday. "If he cannot start then he will be on the bench if all is OK."

"I would say he has a 70% chance of featuring in the game."

He added: "Torres is a fantastic player, he can change games. But we have been playing so well we have not missed him.

"If he is confident and wants to play, he will play. If he is not ready then we will not take a risk."

Despite Torres's absence, Liverpool ended Chelsea's 84-game unbeaten home record.

But they missed a host of gilt-edged chances in Saturday's 2-1 Premier League defeat at Tottenham, which cost them top spot to Chelsea.

And Benitez is keen to see the Spaniard back to help secure Liverpool's place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

"Fernando has been working really, really hard and doing good work with the physios," he told the club's website.

"He trained on Monday and will train on Tuesday and then we will decide. I want to wait to see how he feels.

"Atletico Madrid was his first club and now he is with Liverpool - two big clubs with lots of fans who love him, so this is massive for him."

Torres missed the trip to the club he used to captain two weeks ago when a 1-1 draw left Liverpool and Atletico level at the top of Group D with seven points each.

Liverpool's home record against Spanish clubs is poor; they have failed to win any of the last five matches and did not score in the last four.

But Benitez sees the game as the perfect opportunity to quickly recover the momentum of a promising season following the defeat by Spurs.

"It's good we have another important game on Tuesday and the reaction of the players has to be to play well and win the game," he said after that game.

Atletico warmed up for the game with a 2-0 home victory over Real Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday.

Atletico coach Javier Aguirre's decision to bring Sergio Aguero back into his starting line-up paid off with the Argentine forward scoring both goals in their first league win in five matches.


Roma united behind Spalletti

AS Roma's players and management were united behind coach Luciano Spalletti ahead of today's crucial Champions League group A clash against Chelsea at the Olympic Stadium.
Roma need to win or risk missing out on qualification for the knock-out stages of Europe's most prestigious competition.

But things are not looking up for the Italians, who have won one and lost two of their first three games in the group.

If they were to lose at home to Chelsea and Romanians Cluj won at home to Bordeaux, Roma would then have to win in Romania to avoid elimination.

But the Italians are in dismal form in the league and their confidence is at rock bottom.
Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Juventus was their fourth league reverse in a row and sixth in nine Serie A matches this season.

Some people have been calling for Spalletti's head but veteran defender Christian Panucci, who used to play for Chelsea, insists the dressing room still supports the coach.

"Everyone has to take his own responsibility," he said. "Before Spalletti arrived here we were going through a similar period.

"And I stress, we don't have any problems with him. After three fantastic years now we're in a pickle. We need to get back on track, starting on Tuesday."

But despite the support, even Spalletti admits that it wouldn't be a huge surprise if he was sacked.

"They (the management) are the ones who represent Roma's interests. Like me, and maybe even more so, they hold the team's interests in their heart and they have to make certain assessments.

"In the meantime I will continue to work as I always do. I have no other options." AFP