Spain issue Torres challenge

Published Sep. 8, 2011 9:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Torres has struggled since joining the Blues from Liverpool for £50million at the end of the January transfer window, scoring just one goal for his new club. He has been an established member of the Spain side for a long time but Del Bosque has insisted the 27-year-old will not be treated as a special case. Del Bosque always picks his teams based on club form and, having left Torres out of the starting XI for Tuesday's 6-0 Euro 2012 qualifying victory over Liechtenstein, he has told the Chelsea man to improve his performances if he is to get back in. "There were 10 players who didn't play," said Del Bosque. "He (Torres) is an important player, but the people selected for the national team are those who do well for their clubs, not the other way round." Alvaro Negredo scored twice against Liechtenstein to take his international goalscoring record to five in seven games, and the Sevilla striker has nothing but respect for Torres. "He came down to the dressing room after the game and congratulated me," said Negredo. "I'm not going to enter into whether he was annoyed or anything - it was a great gesture to congratulate me for the goals. "It isn't much fun to come and not play a single minute, but he is a great colleague and is one of the captains of the team."