Torres refused chance to take a penalty
Chelsea striker Fernando Torres turned down the opportunity to take a penalty in Chelsea’s FA Cup replay victory at Birmingham City, The Guardian reports.
The Blues were 2-0 ahead already thanks to goals by Juan Mata and Raul Meireles when Birmingham midfielder Guirane N’Daw fouled the Spanish international. Torres was asked by designated penalty taker Mata if he wanted to take the penalty, but the 27 year old declined. Mata missed the penalty, which did not matter entirely as Chelsea were already coasting into the quarter-finals.
Torres rarely takes penalties, but could have taken the chance to score a long-awaited goal on his 50th appearance for the Blues since making the switch from Liverpool for £50m. The Chelsea forward has only five goals during his time at Stamford Bridge and has not found the target in 23 matches.
Mata said about the incident: “I asked him if he wanted to take it, because he provoked (won) the penalty. He said: ‘I’m not first on the list to shoot’, so that’s what happened. It was because he forced the penalty and I gave him the chance.”
Former England international Alan Shearer has also said his piece on Torres and believes the 27 year old might have to move away from Stamford Bridge in order to regain his form. The Spaniard is expected to be on the bench again this weekend as Chelsea host Stoke City in Roberto di Matteo’s first Premier League game in charge as interim manager.
See what the expert tipsters at OLBG are tipping on Chelsea v Stoke
Related Articles
|