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Liverpool icon Fernando Torres leaves message behind for Mo Salah after Anfield return
Fernando Torres had some kind words for Mohamed Salah after returning to Liverpool.
Fernando Torres was full of praise for Mohamed Salah after returning to Liverpool for a legends match against Ajax last weekend. The Spaniard was on target for the Reds as they came from behind to beat their Dutch opponents in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Anfield.
Torres scored 81 goals for Liverpool during a four-year spell on Merseyside before joining Chelsea on the final day of the January transfer window in 2011. While at Stamford Bridge, he played alongside Salah and was full of praise for the Egyptian when quizzed on his favourite Liverpool stars after Saturday's game.
"I remember when he came to England and he was very young and didn’t have the minutes he deserved," said Torres while discussing Salah. "He had to move to Italy and prove himself and find a special club for a special player.
"You can see the results of what he did by himself. For me, [he is a] top player and one of the best players in the last 10 years. I always say this, [he is] my favourite player [and] I put him among the best players in the world in the last 10 years."
Salah initially struggled to find his feet at Chelsea, where he failed to make an impression under Jose Mourinho after joining the club from Basel. He was shipped on loan to Fiorentina and then Roma before joining the latter on a permanent basis, after which he quickly established himself as one of Europe's most feared attackers.
Liverpool gave Salah the opportunity to return to England in 2017 and he has not looked back since, with the 31-year-old now arguably the club's most important asset. This season alone, he has scored 21 goals in all competitions to keep the Reds in contention to win multiple trophies.
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Salah previously admitted that he found it hard to deal with the pressure of playing for Chelsea at such an early age, which prompted him to seek a move away from England. He said: "It was so tough for me mentally. I couldn't handle the pressure I had from the media, coming from outside. I was not playing that much. I felt: 'No, I need to go'.
"You have two choices: to tell the people that they are right to put you on a bench, or to prove them wrong. I needed to prove them wrong. The best thing you could have is a serious conversation with yourself. Just get a coffee and just sit like this and just ask yourself what you want.
"Some people can't face themselves properly, but I have no problem with that. If I'm struggling, I just face myself and just feel where I am."