Fernando Torres EXCLUSIVE: Spain legend calls Liverpool the ‘peak of my career’ but insists he HAD to leave Anfield for Chelsea
Fernando Torres has called playing for Liverpool the 'peak' of his career - but admits leaving for Chelsea had to be done to fulfil his ambitions.
Spain legend Torres spent three-and-a-half years at Anfield, scoring 81 goals in 142 games and establishing his reputation as one of the greatest strikers in world football.
But he failed to win any trophies while on Merseyside and departed for Chelsea in 2011 where he claimed three major honours - including that most famous of Champions League victories.
But despite all the glory in west London - and his World Cup and European Championship successes with Spain - Torres told talkSPORT on Tuesday morning that he considers his time with Liverpool the best of his career.
"It was the peak of my career [at Liverpool]," began Torres. "I arrived in a new city when I didn’t speak any English, but everyone at the city and the club made me happy. It was only happy times.
"The relationship between fans and players at Atletico was similar; Liverpool fans are special and the relationship between them is very close."
Torres soured himself to some Liverpool supporters when he left in January 2011 to join Chelsea, but he has admitted he had to leave Anfield to fulfil his ambition - winning trophies.
"When I left Atletico, the team of my heart, it was with the target of winning trophies," added the Spaniard. "I was super happy at Liverpool.
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"But the club was about to be sold and it was a difficult moment; they were selling all their players and they started bringing in young players.
"It was another six or seven years to create a winning team and I didn’t have that time.
"I needed to find my own way and that was going to Chelsea. I thought that was the club to offer me more chance of winning trophies."
Torres famously struggled at Chelsea, going from one of the world's most feared goalscorers on Merseyside but failing to replicate such form in west London.
But rather than blaming anyone else for his issues at Stamford Bridge, Torres admits maybe he was at fault for his lack of success with the Blues.
"It was maybe my fault for not being able to adapt quicker," he continued. "I had good moments but I wasn’t consistent. If you are not performing every week then someone will come in.
"I always said it was my fault. I was old enough to find solutions but I didn’t do it. I won the trophies but I didn’t do it every week.
"[Carlo] Ancelotti was the manager when I signed. I spoke with him before I signed, but that was not the reason I signed.
"Every year they change the manager. and it’s always a big manager.
"I knew the difficulties of going to Chelsea, but I thought it was the team to offer the chances of winning more trophies. They hadn’t won the Champions League and a generation like that needed to win the Champions League. Finally we did it."