Torres flies back to Spain for tests on troublesome groin
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Liverpool ace Fernando Torres flies back to Spain for tests on troublesome groin
Hospital visit: Liverpool striker Fernando Torres (right) arrives at the private hospital and with club doctor Mark Waller (left)
Fernando Torres was back in Spain last night hoping his trusted doctor could offer a solution to the groin injury that is threatening to completely wreck Liverpool's season.
Torres flew to Valencia with a member of the club's medical team to meet Dr Ramon Cugat, who has treated the striker for much of his career, in a bid to avoid facing an operation that could sideline him during a crucial period of the campaign.
There are suggestions Liverpool have accepted that their star striker may need surgery. Dr Cugat's findings are set to be revealed later this afternoon and it seems certain that Torres will miss Monday night's clash with Birmingham.
Earlier on Thursday Torres had undergone tests at a private hospital as Liverpool look to find a cure for their talisman's groin injury.
The Anfield hierarchy are desperate for their Spain striker to avoid surgery as they attempt to put Liverpool's season back on track after six defeats in eight games.
But under-fire boss Rafa Benitez has admitted star duo Torres and Steven Gerrard might need to go under the knife to solve the injury problems which have plagued their season.
Torres looked a long way from match fitness as Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw in Lyon on Wednesday night which takes their hopes of progress to the
Champions League last 16 out of their hands, while Gerrard missed the match entirely with a similar problem
And Benitez admitted the Spanish striker is still feeling pain from his groin-related injury. He said: 'Fernando played with pain, and after the game he still had the same problems that have troubled him for a few weeks.
'He wants to wait, rather than have an operation. He wants to work with the physios to try to solve his problems, but still he has pain. He told me he needed to keep stopping during the game because of the pain.
'Whether there is the need for him or Steven to have an operation is a decision we will probably not take straight away. We must see how they can improve, and by how much. Then we will decide about any possible operation.'
Before the stalemate in France, manager Benitez had said: 'We are trying to manage Fernando because he was close to having an operation.
'He is not comfortable. He has not got the power he had before, so we have to manage and try to protect him. He cannot play well if you keep pushing him. Maybe if you push him he will be injured for a long time.'
Torres, 25, has a little more recovery time than usual until his side's next fixture as Liverpool do not host Birmingham in the Premier League until Monday evening.
Benitez also insisted today that his side's display in France had given him encouragement but admitted he had concerns over how the team close games out in future.
'We have to improve when we are leading near the end of the game,' said the Spanish boss. 'We must start showing more experience in such situations.'
'But nobody let the club down, that was the positive outcome from the draw in Lyon.
'We had so many problems with injured players. But you cannot complain about the performance because the team did everything they could to secure the victory.
'The performance was good and the fans who were in the stadium with us could see that. They were singing at the end and after the whistle because they knew they had seen everyone give everything.'
