Torres: A win all that matters

Fernando Torres has warned that Spain are prepared to win at all costs against Chile tonight (8pm) — even if it means abandoning their usual stylish football.

Spain know only a victory against their Group B opponents at the Maracana will suffice following their 5-1 humbling by Holland last week.

Spain boss Vicente del Bosque has said he will make some changes — Gerard Pique’s and Xavi’s places are at risk — but looks set to keep faith with keeper Iker Casillas, who made a couple of bad mistakes against the Dutch.

Chelsea striker Torres said the reigning world and European champions cannot even contemplate going out of the tournament.

He told a news conference: “The important thing is that we win, hopefully in our usual style, at the high level that allowed us to win the World Cup and the Euros. And if we can’t win like that, we have to win any way we can, because otherwise we’ll have to go back home. All that’s important tomorrow is that Spain plays and wins.”

Torres admitted pressure will be intense against a Chile side who saw off Australia 3-1 to put themselves just a win away from qualifying.

He added: “We think that the match is going to be like any matches against Chile — it’s going to be really intense. They take a lot of risks because that’s the way they are.

“They’ve had good results with that so we have to fight from the beginning, but we have to be calm. We know a draw’s not enough.

“We feel a responsibility to defend our title, and there’s pressure, but it’s a shared pressure. We won as a team and if we lose, we lose as a team. If we win it’ll be the whole team — 23 players plus coaches and everyone else.

“We’re not even thinking about the possibility of defeat.”

Del Bosque said the team “are really hurting” and added: “We still have a chance to progress in the World Cup but this situation has made a response from the players necessary.”

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta said the days since the Holland defeat had been agony, and pointed out that Spain had lost their opening match of the last World Cup — 1-0 to Switzerland — but still went on to win the tournament.

He said: “I wished we had played one or two days after because the waiting has been really hard.

“We must forget what has happened and put it behind us. We have two matches that are now like finals. We had a similar situation at the last World Cup and will give it our very best to win and get to the second phase.

“We have to defend, fight one versus one and hope our creative players can make the difference.”

Spain’s third-choice keeper David de Gea, the Manchester United player, is still injured, according to officials.