Torres needs more time, says Albertini

Posted Friday, December 05, 2014 by Goal.com

The striker has scored just one goal from the 10 games he has played for AC Milan but his former Atletico Madrid team-mate insists he will shine

Fernando Torres will start banging in the goals for AC Milan if he is given more time to settle in, former team-mate Demetrio Albertini has said.

The striker, on loan from Chelsea, has scored just one goal in the 10 Serie A games he has played so far this season, adding to the woes he has suffered in front of goal since his final year at Liverpool.

However, Albertini, who played alongside the 30-year-old at Atletico Madrid and won five Serie A titles and two Champions League trophies with Milan in the 1990s, says the striker will begin to shine if he is shown enough patience.

"If you want to see the real Nino, then you have to wait," Albertini said to Tuttosport.

"The current Torres is not the one we all knew. He is coming off two seasons in which he played very little, so it’s not easy to find yourself after that.

"Fernando must be aware of what he has gone through, to rediscover self-confidence and belief in himself not just through words, but also through actions.

"Plus let’s not forget the football in Spain and England has more spaces than in Italy, so consequently a striker has at least four or five chances per match. For him Serie A is completely new.

"I think the difficulties for Torres are, other than settling in, finding a team that has changed a lot from last season and has a new coach.

"When you build a mosaic with five or six changes out of 11 pieces, it is logical to have fewer guarantees and the newcomers will feel even more out of place.

"When a foreign player joins a settled team, it is easier to adapt. When you put together a puzzle, you start with the outline and fill in the rest, but if every summer you break up the outline it becomes difficult."

Fernando Llorente enjoyed a bright start to life at Juventus, joining after the team had already been crowned champions twice in a row and Albertini feels that the striker's success in Turin proves his point.

He continued: "Fernando Llorente at Juventus is a great example of that and Torres has fitness problems too.

"After two or three months Llorente adapted to the Italian training and match tempo, but he was in a side that had won the Scudetto and only added him and Carlos Tevez.

"Torres could well be left on the bench, as he needs time to adapt and it’s down to Inzaghi and the player to understand the best course of action."