Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has confirmed that Fernando Torres will start up front when his side face Real Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey last 16 tie on Wednesday.
Torres rejoined Atletico last week from AC Milan seven years after leaving his boyhood club, but had to watch Saturday's 3-1 La Liga win over Levante from the stands as the Italian transfer window didn't open until Monday.
“Torres had been training with Milan. He played 10 games there, he has trained with us for a few days and he will start tomorrow,” Simeone told a press conference on Tuesday.
“If I didn’t think he was strong or had the ability to break down opposition defences I wouldn’t be counting on him.
“He has different characteristics to what we have in the group and he will strengthen our attack.”
Torres admitted as he was presented in front of 45,000 Atletico fans on Sunday that the prospect of coming home was the challenge he needed to reignite a dwindling career.
The 30-year-old failed to live up to expectations following a then British transfer record £50 million (Dh278.1m) move from Liverpool to Chelsea in 2011.
Torres managed 45 goals in 172 games for the London club before an ill-fated loan move to Milan where he managed to find the net just once in 10 appearances.
His inclusion in Simeone’s starting line-up could come at the expense of Atletico’s top goalscorer this season Mario Mandzukic.
The Croatian missed training on Monday and is a doubt for the game, as are Arda Turan, Guilherme Siqueira and Tiago.
Simeone also confirmed that Slovenian Jan Oblak will replace Miguel Moya in goal.
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Scores in brief:
- New Medical Centre 129-5 in 17 overs bt Zayed Cricket Academy 125-6 in 20 overs.
- William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana 188-8 in 20 overs bt One Stop Tourism 184-8 in 20 overs
- Alubond Tigers 138-7 in 20 overs bt United Bank Limited 132-7 in 20 overs
- Multiplex 142-6 in 17 overs bt Xconcepts Automobili 140 all out in 20 overs
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
