Unsettled Torres insists he was willing to take penalty

Fernando Torres insists he was perfectly willing to take a penalty in Chelsea’s Champions League final shoot-out on Saturday night, but admitted manager Roberto Di Matteo wouldn’t let him.

In the moments before the fateful shoot-out against Bayern Munich, the Spanish striker could be seen emotionally arguing with Di Matteo. Many assumed it was because the manager wanted the striker to take a kick against his wishes. It now transpires, however, that Torres was adamant on being one of the five but was relegated to seventh.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, the striker said: “I did want to kick one, but they wouldn’t let me.”