Liverpool Football Club News

• Nickname:Reds
• Founded:1892
• Manager:Kenny Dalglish

• Ground:Anfield
• Capacity:45,362

Reds confirm Torres blow

17 Oct 2008 - 07:29:54

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Liverpool have confirmed that Fernando Torres will be out of action for 10-15 days with a hamstring injury picked up on international duty.

Torres was injured during Spain's 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Belgium on Wednesday evening and will now miss Saturday's visit of Wigan Athletic to Anfield.

He will also sit out Tuesday's Champions League trip to former club Atletico Madrid and the following Sunday's Premier League meeting with Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Netherlands forward Ryan Babel is also a major doubt for the visit of the Latics after suffering a sprained ankle while on international duty this week.

"A scan on Fernando Torres has shown a tear in his right hamstring which will sideline the player for between 10 and 15 days," revealed club spokesman Ian Cotton.

"Ryan Babel has sprained his left ankle and is a major doubt for Wigan on Saturday."

On Thursday, Reds boss Rafael Benitez hit out at the international schedule after losing Torres for an important series of games.

"There are too many international games and the demands on the players are too much. Someone needs to analyse this situation because it is putting the players at risk of injury," he claimed.

"Maybe the answer is for there to be a two-tier qualifying system because there are too many games in the qualifiers for the World Cup and the European Championships which are not competitive, but which still place great demands on the players.

"These fixtures are unnecessary and maybe it would be better if the weaker countries played one another and the best of them went to play the stronger countries in the qualifiers."