Fernando Torres: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard changed my career

Fernando Torres says Steven Gerrard changed the direction of his career, adding that the Liverpool captain is easily the best player that the Spanish striker has played with.

The Spain international scored 65 goals in 102 Premier League appearances during a four-year career at Anfield after Torres moved to the Reds from Atletico Madrid in 2007.

Gerrard and Torres forged a deadly strike partnership during their time together, firing Liverpool to the brink of Premier League glory in 2009.

The World Cup winner joined Chelsea in a British-record £50m deal in 2011, and Torres has failed to hit the same goal-scoring heights that he reached alongside Gerrard since his move away from Merseyside.

Speaking to LFC TV on Friday evening ahead of Liverpool’s all-star charity match at Anfield on Sunday, Torres discussed Gerrard’s impact on his career.

“I can’t wait to play with Stevie again.

“I wanted to have the chance if it is one last time. No-one knows if it is going to be the last time. I am joing to enjoy it.

“Stevie is the best player that I have played with by far. He is a big influence for me. I had one career before I started to play with him, I had one career after I started to play with him.

“He changed my ambition, game and motivation. He made me feel like I could do whatever I wanted.”

Torres sealed a return to his boyhood club Atletico in the January transfer window, and the striker has already scored four goals in 16 appearnaces.

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The teams for this charity match were handpicked by current captain Gerrard and former skipper Jamie Carragher, whose sides will go head-to-head.