Fernando Torres will start for Atletico Madrid in tonight’s last 16 Copa del Rey first leg clash with Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderon tonight.
The return of ‘El Nino’ on loan from AC Milan has provoked a huge outpouring of emotion from Atletico fans, who revered Torres during his first spell at his boyhood club between 2001 and 2007.
Around 45,000 supporters turned out for Torres’ official presentation at the stadium on Sunday afternoon, and tonight they will
have the chance to see him in competitive action for Atletico for the first time in seven and a half years after manager Diego Simeone – who played alongside Torres during his first spell – confirmed he will replace Mario Mandzukic.
“Fernando Torres will start,” he said. “We need his characteristics. He is looking great and I am very happy with his arrival.
“I have great memories of when he was young and we played together. And after that, everything hedid in Europe and above all with that national team. And now he isback here with great enthusiasm.
“If I didn’t think he was strong or had the ability to break down opposition defences I wouldn’t be counting on him.”
Torres’ last appearance for Atletico in a Madrid derby was at Vicente Calderon on February 24, 2007, when he opened the scoring in the 11th minute before Gonzalo Higuain equalised in a 1-1 draw.
Simeone is set to make more changes to his starting XI including a rare starting chance for Slovene goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who has struggled to impress since his summer arrival from Benfica.
But after seeing his side stay unbeaten in three previous meetings with Real this season – a draw and a victory in the Super Cup and another win in La Liga – Simeone is confident they will compete.
“I always look for the best possibilities to confront each game in front of us,” he added. “I have to look for the best team to compete in a tournament that we have a lot of affection for and I hope we can maintain our energy, because football is all about energy.
“Ever since I arrived here we have always competed hard and we are not going to change.
“But they have the quality to go an enormous number of games unbeaten and a great coach. It will be hard.”
