Fernando Torres feels pride and anger after Madrileño’s late setback

Fernando Torres was left with a mix of “pride” and “anger” after Atlético Madrileño’s performance against Real Zaragoza, leaders of Group 2 in Primera Federación. Atlético de Madrid’s reserve side produced a strong display, but two errors in the final three minutes changed the ending and left Torres’s team with a bitter taste.

The disappointment was all the sharper because victory had seemed close. Torres was pleased with his players’ performance, particularly going forward, while noting that every opponent in the competition is difficult. He nevertheless refused to judge the match only by its finish: “The overall picture is very positive in some respects. I think the team showed its identity again, which was the most important thing for us: being aggressive, dominant and able to go toe-to-toe with a great opponent, the team to beat in this division.”

The coach believes the display points towards the path the team should follow, while acknowledging the need to improve. He specifically mentioned set pieces and penalty situations as areas to correct. With many new players in the group, he also expects the process to take time.

Torres welcomed Javi’s return, describing him as an important player for the team, and praised the youngsters coming up from the C team for making the most of their opportunities. Despite the frustration of missing out on the three points they felt they deserved, he wants the side to make next week’s point count.