March
10 Real
Madrid (H)
14 Man Utd (A)
21 Aston Villa (H)
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is confident he
will be fit for the club's crucial clashes in Europe and at home in
the next 10 days.
The Reds take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their
Champions League last 16 tie looking to progress with a 1-0
advantage from the first leg at the Bernabeu, and then face
Manchester United in the Premier League in a match they have to win
to have any hope of catching their bitter north-west rivals.
Torres has not played since he suffered an ankle injury in that
Madrid victory, but revealed he is optimistic about returning next
week.
"I hope to be available for both of the matches because they
will be two great games," he said in a webchat on his personal site
fernando9torres.com.
"The ankle injury has been giving me some trouble and the
recovery process is taking longer than I hoped.
"However, I am quite optimistic that I will be ready for the
match versus Real Madrid, and if the ankle holds out, I will also
be at Old Trafford."
Torres does not accept the claim that his injury problems this
season have cost Liverpool their chance of winning the Premier
League title, adding: "I don't think that I'm to blame for the
injuries, it forms part of the game. I have suffered three muscular
injuries during the first three months of the competition, and now
I have picked up an ankle injury.
"I don't think that my injury should be considered as a reason
for Liverpool not winning the league. Although following a couple
of poor results we have lost touch with Manchester United at the
top, the team has done well this season. The league though is still
alive, but Man United are looking strong and they are not dropping
points."
The Spain forward insisted his own future at Anfield was not
tied to that of manager and compatriot Rafael Benitez, who is yet
to sign a new deal with Liverpool.
"My future is tied with Liverpool, because I still have four
years left to run on my contract," he added.
"Therefore, should Rafa leave, I will stay on and fulfil my
contract with the club. My wish is that Rafa extends his contract
with Liverpool. I cannot think about how a possible departure might
affect me, because it hasn't happened yet, and I don't like wasting
time thinking about ifs and buts."