SPORTS
Pepe Reina defends Fernando Torres Chelsea move
Baku, February 5 (AZERTAC). Liverpool`s Pepe Reina has defended former team-mate Fernando Torres ahead of lining up to face Chelsea`s new £50m striker at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Torres`s transfer provoked anger from some fans, while Jamie Carragher said there was a feeling among the squad he had wanted to leave since the summer.
But, defending Torres, Reina stated: "Some say he is being disrespectful.
"But, in my eyes, what he gave was huge. He grew up with Liverpool, and Liverpool as a team grew up with him."
Torres, 26, further angered Liverpool supporters after leaving the club on transfer deadline day by saying that he felt a move to Stamford Bridge was a step forward for his career.
Yet Reina, a Spanish international team-mate of Torres, insisted that the former Atletico Madrid forward`s decision was no longer relevant to Liverpool`s future, repeating manager Kenny Dalglish`s message that no one player is bigger than the club itself.
"Players come and go on a daily basis, but what stays is the club and the supporters," he said.
"That is the most important part to the club.
"It is football. It happens season after season, players come and go. Fernando was great for us in three-and-a-half seasons. He did everything for this club.
"Maybe he did not leave at the right time, but it was an opportunity for him. And £50m in the bank is double the price we paid for him.
"It is personal he decided to leave, he thought it was an opportunity for him to keep growing as a player and we have to respect that."
Reina also believes that Liverpool will always be capable of signing top players, a view supported by the recent capture of £35m club record signing Andy Carroll from Newcastle and £23m Luis Suarez from Ajax.