Del Bosque dismisses claims of Rafa row over striker Torres

SPAIN coach Vincente del Bosque has played down reports of a rift with Rafael Benitez — claiming Fernando Torres might return to Liverpool in better shape than he arrived.

Torres’ importance to the Anfield outfit was never shown to greater effect than at Portsmouth on Saturday when Liverpool appeared about to lose until their star striker was introduced from the bench and scored a last-minute winner for the visitors to Fratton Park.

Yet Benitez knows he must manage the former Atletico Madrid man with care and cannot afford to risk his fragile hamstrings at such an important stage of the season.