Andres Iniesta leaps to defence of goal-shy Fernando Torres

It will not be long until Chelsea striker Fernando Torres rediscovers his goalscoring touch, according his international team-mate Andres Iniesta.

Torres is yet to find the net since his £50m switch from Liverpool to Chelsea in January, and the 26-year-old forward extended his goal drought in Spain’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic on Friday.

The Chelsea front man -who has not scored in his last nine games -played the second half of Spain’s Group I encounter, and watched David Villa become his country’s record goalscorer with two goals after the break.

But Iniesta insists Torres will soon explode into form and praised his fellow countryman’s contributions to the world champions’ latest victory.

“Fernando is doing really well,” said Iniesta. “It’s clear that strikers live to score, but in Granada he gave us plenty of things which people don’t see such as hard work, helping out in defence and allowing others the space to play.

“He does work which is not noticed, but it is very fundamental for the team.

“As for the goals, I think it’s only a matter of time. He has always scored and he will continue doing so and therefore there are no problems.”

And Torres’s former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa, now at Real Madrid, also believes the striker need not worry about his dip in form.

“Fernando has been playing at the top level for many years and it’s not the first time he has been through a bad patch in front of goal,” said Arbeloa.

“When you are as good as him you don’t need to worry. He needs to keep doing his job and the goals will come.”