Fernando Torres names six Liverpool players in combined XI with ex-Chelsea stars
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Fernando Torres has named six Liverpool players in his combined XI with former Chelsea stars – and even snubbed Eden Hazard in favour of Yossi Benayoun.
The ex-Spain international spent four years at each club having sparkled at Anfield from 2007 before his controversial £50million switch in 2011.
Torres played with some huge names in both camps, most notably striking up a thriving partnership at Liverpool with Steven Gerrard.
Unsurprisingly the Reds captain makes the lineup but Torres opted not to select himself in attack.
Instead he plumped for Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, flanked either side by ex-Liverpool duo Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt in a shock move to ignore Hazard.
(Image: Getty Images)
Speaking to the Chelsea website, Torres said: “I feel bad because I’ve had to leave out so many people who deserve to be in here.
“There would be fantastic players like Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Petr Cech and a lot of others on the bench.
“It is not easy because I could make two or three teams of people I played with at Chelsea and Liverpool, and all of them would be good enough to win the Premier League in any year.
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“What I would say about that is, it shows I was really lucky to play with so many great players during my time in England, at both clubs.”
Gerrard was joined in midfield by Torres’ compatriot Xabi Alonso, as well as now-Chelsea manager Frank Lampard.
The Blues then dominated the defence, taking up three out of the four slots with John Terry, Ashley Cole and Branislav Ivanovic outnumbering Sami Hyypia.
In goal, Torres went for another fellow Spaniard in Pepe Reina.
What do you make of Torres’ combined XI? Have your say below.
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Justifying his decision to select Benayoun – who played for both clubs too – over some of the other talents he featured alongside, Torres said: “He’s a great friend and a great player.
“It was easy to play with him for me, he was always trying to give chances to the striker and looking for those small gaps that no-one can see but him.”
While Torres enjoyed hero status at Liverpool before his departure, his career never hit the same heights at Stamford Bridge.
He left the club in 2015 taking in spells in Italy, Spain and Japan before retiring last year.
Torres’ combined Chelsea-Liverpool XI: Reina, Ivanovic, Hyypia, Terry, A Cole, Gerrard, Alonso, Lampard, Kuyt, Drogba, Benayoun
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