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Atletico stadium ban "worst news" for Torres

15/10/2008

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has revealed his disappointment at the two-match stadium ban for former club Atletico Madrid, which looks set to rob him of an emotional homecoming.

Torres, who moved to Anfield for a club-record fee of more than £26 million in 2007, was set to return to his hometown club for the first time in a Champions League fixture later this month.

But due to a punishment issued by Uefa for crowd trouble at their last European home match against Marseille, Atletico will be forced to move the game to a neutral venue at least 300km from the Vicente Calderon.

"After so much time waiting, it is the worst and most unexpected news that I could have heard," the 24-year-old told Spanish daily Marca.

"I'm eager to go back. I don't know if it is definitive, I hope that a solution can be found.

"It is a shame that these incidents have forced the stadium to be closed, but if this is what happens then we have to accept it."

Uefa have apologised to Liverpool fans whose travel arrangements are set to be disrupted by the move, which was announced less than a fortnight before the fixture.

Liverpool hit out at European football's governing body for their perceived lack of consideration for their 3,000 away fans, while the Reds' players - a good proportion of whom are Spanish nationals - have also been affected.

Goalkeeper Jose Reina added: "It's a huge blow for us - the Spanish players at Liverpool.

"Above all for Fernando, who was the most eager of all of us to visit the Calderon.

"As well as that, we all had commitments, tickets agreed, and this changes all the plans."