Hospital visit: Liverpool striker Fernando Torres
(right) arrives at the private hospital and with club doctor Mark
Waller (left)
Fernando Torres was back in Spain last night hoping his
trusted doctor could offer a solution to the groin injury that is
threatening to completely wreck Liverpool's season.
Torres flew to Valencia with a member of the club's medical team
to meet Dr Ramon Cugat, who has treated the striker for much of his
career, in a bid to avoid facing an operation that could sideline
him during a crucial period of the campaign.
There are suggestions Liverpool have accepted that their star
striker may need surgery. Dr Cugat's findings are set to be
revealed later this afternoon and it seems certain that Torres will
miss Monday night's clash with Birmingham.
Earlier on Thursday Torres had undergone tests at a private
hospital as Liverpool look to find a cure for their talisman's
groin injury.
The Anfield hierarchy are desperate for their Spain striker to
avoid surgery as they attempt to put Liverpool's season back on
track after six defeats in eight games.
But under-fire boss Rafa Benitez has admitted star duo Torres
and Steven Gerrard might need to go under the knife to solve the
injury problems which have plagued their season.
Torres looked a long way from match fitness as Liverpool were
held to a 1-1 draw in Lyon on Wednesday night which takes their
hopes of progress to the
Champions League last 16 out of their hands, while Gerrard
missed the match entirely with a similar problem
And Benitez admitted the Spanish striker is still feeling pain
from his groin-related injury. He said: 'Fernando played with pain,
and after the game he still had the same problems that have
troubled him for a few weeks.
'He wants to wait, rather than have an operation. He wants to
work with the physios to try to solve his problems, but still
he has pain. He told me he needed to keep stopping during the game
because of the pain.
'Whether there is the need for him or Steven to have an
operation is a decision we will probably not take straight away. We
must see how they can improve, and by how much. Then we will decide
about any possible operation.'
Before the stalemate in France, manager Benitez had said: 'We
are trying to manage Fernando because he was close to having an
operation.
'He is not comfortable. He has not got the power he had before,
so we have to manage and try to protect him. He cannot play well if
you keep pushing him. Maybe if you push him he will be injured for
a long time.'
Torres, 25, has a little more recovery time than usual until his
side's next fixture as Liverpool do not host Birmingham in the
Premier League until Monday evening.
Benitez also insisted today that his side's display in France
had given him encouragement but admitted he had concerns over how
the team close games out in future.
'We have to improve when we are leading near the end of the
game,' said the Spanish boss. 'We must start showing more
experience in such situations.'
'But nobody let the club down, that was the positive outcome
from the draw in Lyon.
'We had so many problems with injured players. But you cannot
complain about the performance because the team did everything they
could to secure the victory.
'The performance was good and the fans who were in the stadium
with us could see that. They were singing at the end and after the
whistle because they knew they had seen everyone give
everything.'