Torres fights to be fit for Reds´ Atletico test

Liverpool's Spanish striker Fernando Torres faces a battle to be fit for next week's Champions League outing against former club Atletico Madrid after he picked up a thigh injury in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Belgium, Spanish team doctor Oscar Celada said.

“He has a strong pain behind his (right) thigh,” Celada told Spanish television after the game.

“It is difficult to say for the moment if it is a strain or a small (muscle) tear.

“If it is a strain he could be out around a week,” said Dr Celada – but a tear would mean waving goodbye to facing his old club.

Torres, who went off after just 16 minutes, was later to report to the Liverpool medical staff to check on his condition.

Fellow forward Ryan Babel is a further doubt after he hurt his ankle in Holland's win in Norway.

As well as the Atletico game, Torres and Babel are anxious to be fit for the match four days later away to Chelsea in the English Premiership.

Atletico may have to host their English rivals at a stadium 300 kilometres from Madrid after UEFA hit them with a stadium ban as punishment for crowd disturbances and racist insults against Marseille players during a Champions League match on October 1.

However, reports from Spain late Wednesday said the match may yet go ahead at the Vicente Calderon stadium because of the logistical difficulty of staging it elsewhere at such short notice.

Liverpool fans have already complained of the potential disruption to travel plans.