Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has confirmed that Fernando Torres will miss Sunday's clash with Chelsea.
Reds boss confirms striker's absence
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has confirmed that Fernando Torres will miss Sunday's clash with Chelsea.
Torres suffered a hamstring strain in Spain's friendly with France on Wednesday and will now sit out the trip to Stamford Bridge.
The striker had claimed that he asked to be taken off by coach Luis Aragones as a precaution after feeling a twinge, but it has now been revealed that the injury is worse than first feared.
The news comes as a major blow to Benitez who is already set to be without Daniel Agger, Andrei Voronin, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio and the suspended Xabi Alonso for the game against Avram Grant's side.
Cannot play
Benitez said: "We know it is a hamstring problem. I have spoken to Fernando, I know what the problem is. This injury is at least one week
"You cannot play on after an injury like this, it is a big risk. He will not play at Chelsea.
"We will wait for the result of the scan, but I have no doubt he will miss the weekend.
"I will talk to the doctor and the player, but it is a big blow. He was scoring lots of goals and I will now have to think of a different partnership.
"We are playing at Chelsea fighting for fourth position, then we have Barnsley in the FA Cup and after that Internazionale in the UEFA Champions League, and we have lost our top goalscorer. It is a big, big loss.
"It is difficult to be calm about it; this was another international friendly in a busy period for clubs at this time of the season.
Crazy
"It is crazy enough they go away and have different training systems, diets, new ideas. And they get injured.
"It is hard to see who to blame for Torres' injury. But the authorities are talking of changing the schedule and to pay money if you lose players. But it is not about money.
"Every time we have an international break we are talking of a solution and a way to improve things, but still nothing happens.
"It would be better to play all the internationals at the same time, maybe at the end of the season rather than keep sending the players all around the world."
