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CHELSEA PROGRESS

Chelsea needed a late goal from Eden Hazard in order to progress into the last 16 stage of the Europa league. The 1-1 draw against Sparta Prague helped Chelsea move into the next round on aggregate victory.

However, all the talk after the match has been about the form of the striker Fernando Torres. The Spaniard has managed just one goal in his last 14 matches for the club. That solitary goal came in the match against League One opposition Brentford. However, the manager Rafa Benitez refused to criticise the 28-year-old by saying that he wants to look at the positive aspects.

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BENITEZ BACKS TORRES

The Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez has defended the form of the striker Fernando Torres, who once again could not manage to get on the scoresheet. The Spaniard has been on a run of just one goal in more than 10 matches since the turn of the year. He appeared to be prevented by the arrival of Benitez after a run of six goals in just seven matches, but the spark has once again gone out of the 27-year-old. Torres looked extremely disinterested in the recent Europa league match against Sparta Prague. Chelsea managed to come out with a victory in the first leg courtesy of a lone goal from the midfielder Oscar.

This has put them in a strong position to qualify for the next round of the competition, but there has been heavy criticism of the striker Torres after yet another poor performance. The striker has not managed to find the net since the turn of the year apart from the solitary goal against League One opposition Brentford in the FA Cup. Chelsea missed a number of play opportunities in the first half with Torres mainly guilty of them. He also did not help his teammates create opportunities as well, but Benitez defended his fellow countryman by choosing to praise his work rate.

“His work rate today was really good and thanks to him the rest of the team, especially the second line of offensive players, they could create. His job today was push and run and keep their defenders deep so he could create space for the other players. Everybody expects from a striker just to score goals, but he’s doing also a great job for the team,” said Benitez. As a result of this victory, pressure is slightly eased on the Spaniard after the 4-0 win over Wigan during the weekend.

NO BREAK FOR TORRES

Fernando Torres has been the lone striker for Chelsea through to the season after the current Liverpool man Daniel Sturridge was mostly injured or not selected during the last six months. As a result, Torres has played almost every game for Chelsea without a break. The arrival of the £ 7 million hitman Demba Ba from Newcastle United a few weeks ago provides Benitez with the opportunity to rest Torres. The £ 50 million man has struggled for form of a consistent basis, but he has managed to score 14 goals in all competitions.

He is the top scorer at the club, but the recent performances have dipped. Benitez has said that this has been due to the lack of rest for the striker. Now that he has Demba Ba at his disposal, Benitez has confirmed that he intends to provide Torres with more rest in the coming weeks. Immediately after the arrival of Benitez, Torres sparked into life and scored on a consistent basis. However, the form has deserted him in the last few weeks. His last goal for the club came in the 8-0 victory over Aston Villa almost a month ago at Stamford Bridge. Benitez has said that Torres will play much better when he is fresh and fit.

“Torres is a Chelsea player and the fans have to understand that he will always do his best. It is really important for everyone to understand the way to win is to win together. Hopefully we can change that now if Torres can rest. He will be fresher and fitter and play at the level we know he can play,” said the Chelsea manager. Torres had the unwavering support of the Chelsea fans until recently. His poor performances have led to the Chelsea fans booing their own player on certain occasions.

IT WILL BE HUGE

The Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has said that it would be extremely huge to win the Club World Cup championship with Chelsea. Chelsea are currently in Japan to take part in the Club World Cup championship that involves the Champions League winners from the six continents across the world. Chelsea are undoubtedly the favourites to win the competition after this trophy has been handed to European club in the last five seasons without exception. Even though teams from Brazil and North America have been successful in the past, Chelsea are undoubtedly the favourites to win the title this time around as well.

They come into the tournament on the back of the good run of form in recent matches, which has also helped them bring an end to the eight match winless run in the Premier league. Fernando Torres has also found the back of the net in the league after a gap of more than two months. He has scored four goals in the last two matches and he is on a good run of form. Torres managed to win the Champions League and the FA cup in his first full season with Chelsea. Now, he is looking at the opportunity to lift the Club World Cup as well.

“In Europe maybe we don’t give it as much attention, and to some people it might not mean much, but to me it does, so this is not a holiday or a break, this is a World Cup. It’s nice to be involved, and maybe to be able to say you are a world champion. The European Super Cup was just as important to us and we lost, so we don’t want that disappointment. It wouldn’t make up for the Champions League, they are different things,” said Torres ahead of the tournament.

CHELSEA THROUGH IN CUP

Chelsea has defeated Manchester United in a Capital One Cup match played at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. Chelsea won the match by a close margin of 5-4 and knocked United out of the tournament. On Sunday, Chelsea was beaten by United in a Premier League match at the same venue. The Blues came into this match to take revenge and they succeeded in doing so.

At one point of time, Chelsea was trailed by 3-2 and there was only one minute left in the game. It seemed that Chelsea would have to suffer second consecutive defeat in two days, but, that wasn’t the case to be. Eden Hazard scored the leveller in the last minute of the injury time. The match was extended for the next half an hour.  Chelsea scored a couple of goals in the extra time, on the other hand, United managed to find the net only once in those extra 30 minutes.

Daniel Sturridge took Chelsea ahead by scoring a goal in the 7th minute of the extra time. This goal was a result of the poor effort from Wootton. He tried to head the ball back to Lindegaard, but, he couldn’t place the ball well. Sturridge got the ball and he sent the ball past Lindegaard with a wonderful angular shot.

United got deeper into trouble when Ramires scored the fifth goal for Chelsea just a few minutes before the end of the game. Hazard set up the goal and Ramires gave the finishing touch with a clean strike.

United got a penalty in the last minute of the extra time and Ryan Giggs converted that penalty to reduce the lead to 5-4, but, that was too late for United.

Chelsea’s next match will be a Premier League encounter against Swansea City on 3rd of November at the Liberty Stadium.