A Shattered Dream
Antonio Sanz, journalist
To begin with, I want to recommend a fantastic novel. I am sure that it will offer more than this short story. It is about trying to see how the book 'The elegance of the hedgehog' manages to convey as much ingenuity as its author, Barbery. After reading the novel, I believe that it is possible to turn ‘always’ into ‘never’. Maybe that's why I managed to take something positive from the absence of Fernando Torres from the game between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
Atletico fans had prepared a special homecoming to thank a player who had given so much to their Club. Had he have been there, it would have happened. More than ten thousand fans from all-over Spain bought tickets for the game to thank the (shy) player who tried to help Atletico recover their grandure; and perhaps because he left without being able to say goodbye.
Perhaps because he never thought that he would leave the club, the draw for the Champions League gave him the opportunity to remove a thorn in his side. There were many reasons for the match to be an exciting affair, one not to be missed. A river of wishes and hopes now runs dry, all thanks to an unforeseen injury. Nearly three weeks of reflection and pain, for ninety minutes of football. There’s no problem though. It’s not a ‘never’, because one day, Fernando will play Champions League football at the Calderon ... it’s my wish for him.
I told Torres the news of the draw over the phone. I wasn’t with him at the time, but then I quickly called
Margarita Garay, who was with the striker.
Margarita can be described as the person that makes things tick at Bahia International, and she passed her phone over to Fernando. “How did the draw go?†Because it eventually took half an hour for the name of the fourth team to finally come out, we had already spoken twice before: “Marseille†and “PSVâ€. “What about Atletico?†enquired Fernando. My reply on both occasions was, “They still have yet to come out.†And then it happened…
Jose Antonio Martin ‘Peton’ (Fernando’s agent, among many other things) jumped-up with joy, “Have you phoned Fernando?â€. My reply was: “I’m still trying to recover from the shock.†“Get him on the phone and tell him. He’s going to love the news†adds Peton. I am still unsure what to do. I dial his number, no answer. I call Margarita. Again no answer. ‘Peton’ charges in: “Does he know yet?†“No!†(now I m really shouting), “He has yet to find out.†My phone suddenly comes to life as a series of journalists and friends bombard me: Bonilla, Romero, Alvaro, ‘four eyes’, Matallanas, Perfe, Duro, Felix… I even get a call from Paloma (my girlfriend). Finally I get to speak to Fernando. He whispers to me,“Are you sure?†I’m not joking, and I wouldn’t joke about something like this. Fernando calmly replies, “Well then, we are going to beat you.†This is coming from a player with almost 250 appearances for Atletico under his belt, and with almost 100 goals to his name. I am being teased by someone who is even more Atletico than the bear on the club’s crest! Twelve years at Atletico since his parents, Jose and Flori, took him to a trial at the ‘Parque de las Cruces’. His brother, Israel, was the one to confirm that Fernando had made the cut. The list was on a notice board in the stadium… a board which often shattered the dreams of many young hopefuls.
He wanted to test himself abroad. And he found a place to nest: Liverpool. He put his head down and started to train hard. Fernando brought 36 million Euros to Atletico Madrid (straight into the account at La Caixa, a bank set inside the actual stadium). With very little English under his belt, he crossed the Channel. Atletico President Enrqiue Cerezo bade the striker farewell on a sad morning for the club. Although the news caught some people away on holiday, nearly everyone was present at the goodbye press conference. Torres wore black. Sixteen months have flown-by and he almost got the chance to step back out onto the Vicente Calderon pitch with a pair of boots on. The striker was invited back to the Director’s Box, the same place which previously heard the words: “If there is any truth behind the Inter Milan rumour, we will sell Torresâ€. The words unsurprisingly came from Mr.Cerezo. Inter Milan were willing to pay 38 million Euros for the striker. It was the summer of 2006. It wasn’t the first time similar words had been heard. The story however goes on. “The kid is not going to get us more.†Silence follows in the Board of Directors’ meeting. Cerezo’s Vice-President, Garcia Abasolo, agrees with the President. Antonio Alonso, another Vice-President, receives the news positively. However, Lazaro Albarracin, a die-hard and loyal Atletico Madrid fan cannot believe what he is hearing. Miguel Angel Gil steps in: “Fernando is untouchable. There is nothing more to say. He is a great kid, our best player, and the drive behind our marketing and commercial projects. He will remain here for as long as he wants to.â€
Before his injury with Spain in Brussels, Torres had been dealt a blow with UEFA’s possible three-game ban for the Calderon. The news caught him with Iker Casillas (how pathetic was the imaginary ‘fall-out’ between the two that some papers cooked-up?), and a camera caught Torres saying to the keeper that things were working against him, and that he will never get the chance to play against Atletico in the Champions League at the Vicente Calderon. UEFA then delayed their decision, allowing the game to go ahead in Madrid, but his dream was cruelly laid to rest by an unfortunate hamstring injury. Fernando had everything planned. He would not celebrate if he scored, he had played-out several scenarios in his head: the team’s arrival in Madrid, entering the stadium via Gate ‘0’, a warm hug with Alberto Unsain (the man in charge of the dressing room at the training ground and at the Vicente Calderon Stadium) near Atletico’s dug-out, a firm hand-shake with Baston (Goalkeepers coach), a cheeky smile at Dr.Villalon, a warm gesture with his friend Leo Franco (Atletico Madrid keeper), walking into the visiting team’s dressing room, stepping out on to the pitch from the other tunnel and posing for the team photo with either Manu, Alberto or another player from Atletico’s school of excellence. A similar experience to what he had lived before when working as a ball-boy when Atletico faced Ajax in the European Cup.
Atletico wanted the forward to be their guest at the game at the Vicente Calderon, even making their invitation to Fernando known to Rafa Benitez. The Liverpool boss gave his OK, but Torres wanted to stay on Merseyside and continue his recovery process to be back in time for the return at Anfield. There is no rush, and the day will arrive when the forward will collect the Gold and Diamond Club insignia Miguel Angel Gil promised to award Fernando.
The striker had confirmed his love for Atletico to the few remaining doubters when he paraded Atletico Madrid’s flag during Spain’s celebrations following their Euro 2008 triumph. He was Atletico’s only representative at the Championships. Well, along with coach Luis Aragones. Today a sad Fernando Torres is working with the physios. We will just have to wait and see if they are capable of helping Torres regain full fitness in time for the clash at Anfield in fifteen days time.
http://www.fernando9torres.com/index.php?s=tribuna
