Fernando Torres, Chelsea
Fernando Torres says he wants talks with Chelsea over his future at the club and expressed surprise at the way he was treated through the season.
In a surprisingly candid interview with Guillem Balague, Torres expressed his disappointment at missing out on a starting place in the Chelsea side that won the Champions League.
He also said he has felt “lost” for much of his time at Stamford Bridge and may even have “given up” were it not for the support he has received from those close to him.
Torres told Sky Sports’ Balague on his website: “It’s contradictory because I feel like I’m at a peak moment in my career, with more desire and hunger than I’ve felt in a long time but I’ve had to spend the final on the bench. It was a huge disappointment when I saw the line-up, perhaps the biggest in my life.
“I thought I would play in this game and I couldn’t imagine not doing so. But in the end I could participate and offer the team something. I’m really happy.
“This season I have felt things that I never had before. I’ve felt like they treated me in a way that I didn’t expect. Not in the way that was spoken of when they signed me. We’ve had a lot of talks and we’ll talk about my future.
“I want them to tell me what is going to happen in the future. Football has been fair on us, on me.
“Now I do feel like football is worth it but I’ve been through a difficult time. The worst in my career. I don’t want that again. There’s been many times when I’ve felt lost, I wasn’t sure what to do. I felt like I didn’t know where I belonged.
“I’m eternally grateful to my family who have been by my side and also for the support of the owners who have stuck by me. And especially to the fans, if it hadn’t been for them this season I would have given up.”
Although Chelsea have yet to indicate whether they will reward Di Matteo for guiding them to FA Cup and Champions League glory with a permanent deal, Torres seems in no mood to wait to learn of what he can expect from the club.
“I need the club to tell me what is going to happen and what sort of role I will have within the team, what my duties are, what the club expects of me,” he concluded. And then judge whether it is worth it.”