Fabregas backs Torres to rediscover goal touch

CESC FABREGAS has no doubt his Spain team-mate Fernando Torres will soon be over his goal drought and is expecting the striker to play a key role in the World Cup quarter-final against Paraguay today.

The Liverpool forward has endured a poor campaign so far, failing to hit the back of the net for the European champions in their opening four games.

It came after an injury-hit domestic season for his English club, which saw him head to South Africa in the wake of a knee problem.

He has so far failed to live up to expectations and Fabregas said: “This boy is accustomed to this kind of situation. He’s accustomed to all these situations because he’s been under pressure ever since he was a little boy.

“He is very much at ease and I think tomorrow he will have a possibility to showcase his talents to see whether he can take this team to the highest possible ranks.”

Arsenal midfielder Fabregas has hardly featured for Vicente del Bosque’s side so far, making two brief second-half appearances in two of their games and completely missing out on the other two.

Asked how he felt the limited game-time, he continued: “The important thing is motivating yourself and believing that you will make it to the pitch, that you will be important during the match and you are really strong for the team.

“Because today, perhaps you play, perhaps you don’t play. You must be able to feel it that you will be able to do something in the match.’’

Brazil were knocked out of the competition by the Netherlands yesterday and Fabregas insisted the Spaniards won’t underestimate Paraguay today.

The two-time European Championship winners, who are looking to reach the last four for the first time since 1950, had been major underachievers on the world stage until they claimed their second continental crown in 2008.

He added: “I think Spain has had sufficient lessons taught in the past. We know that in football anything is possible and if somebody has learnt something, it is Brazil.

“Making it to the quarter-final of the World Cup is extremely important. The important thing is that Spain makes it to the semi-finals.

“But as I said, we have gone through many, many experiences of this kind before and we will be looking to like history.”

Meanwhile Paraguay boss Gerardo Martino is hoping his side can make the most of their one-off chance against Spain today.

The La Albirroja coach, whose team have never beaten the European champions, has already made history by taking the South Americans to the last eight for the first time.

And Martino knows his team have the ability to go even further.

“If I had to consider a tournament of 20 matches against Spain, then I think Paraguay would have fewer possibilities than Spain,” he said. “But you see in this kind of tournament, it’s not just who plays better, but who has the heart, who has the stamina, the wish, who has the fighting spirit and it can come down to one scoring opportunity.

“I think in football you can expect any kind of result when you have to play 90 minutes, so I have no idea who will be in the next round.”