| Advertisement |
June 11 (UPI) -- Former star striker Fernando Torres, who won a World Cup with Spain, was named manager of Atletico Madrid's B team, the La Liga soccer franchise announced Tuesday. "I am at home and I feel an enormous responsibility since I decided to face this new stage," Torres said in a news release.
Advertisement
"It has been three years of constant learning. For me, this step is very important and I want to be ambitious to do things better every day, face the challenges that come and the responsibility in the best way, and at the same time know that I am in no hurry and [there is] no need to take a wrong step.
"I accept it as a great challenge with a lot of ambition and the peace of mind of knowing that we are prepared."
Torres, 40, replaced former coach Luis Garcia, who was promoted to serve on manager Diego Simeone's first-team staff. He previously served as coach for Atletico's Under-19 team, Atletico Madrid Juvenil A, winning two league titles, a Champions Cup and qualifying for the Final Four of the youth league.
Torres, who spent the final years of his playing tenure at Japanese club Sagan Tosu, started his senior career in 2001 at Atletico Madrid. He also starred at English Premier League clubs Liverpool and Chelsea and Italian Serie A power AC Milan.
