Di Matteo’s faith in Torres is well justified

Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0

Reduced to a minor walk-on part while Didier Drogba revelled in the role of hero. Torres was given a painful reminder of his place in the Stamford Bridge pecking order. Eighteen months after his £50m move from Liverpool he had failed to dislodge the Ivorian from his position as the team’s principal striker – its match-winner – and a career that once promised so much had emphatically stalled.

That night, as his team-mates revelled in their achievement at finally landing European football’s greatest prize, Torres held court before a group of Spanish journalists – he has long since stopped engaging with the Chelsea regulars – and articulated his frustration. Complaining at his treatment over the previous 12 months that culminated in him being overlooked for the penalty shoot-out.