• Champions League

Gourlay calm on Torres criticisms

ESPN staff
May 21, 2012
Ron Gourlay: 'It must have been very very difficult for Robbie and for the guys on the sidelines as well as Fernando' © PA Photos
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Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay has suggested there is nothing unusual about Fernando Torres' frustration at not being picked to start the Champions League final.

Torres was introduced as a second-half substitute as Chelsea beat Bayern on penalties; he claims he offered to take a spot-kick during the shootout, but was not allowed to.

Torres expressed his annoyance about being benched in a wide-ranging interview with guillem-balague.com, during which he indicated he would seek showdown talks with the Blues hierarchy.

However, Gourlay has taken the sting out of suggestions Torres could be shown the Stamford Bridge exit door.

"Everybody wants to play, and at the end of the day I would be very surprised if Fernando, who has been awesome really [didn't]," Gourlay told Sky Sports News. "I'm sure he wanted to play more games, I'm sure he wanted more time on the field as every professional player does.

"But at the end of the day [manager] Robbie [Di Matteo] picked the team to start the game. Fernando came on - we were behind at that stage - and he played a big part to help us win the Champions League final.

"Players who are left out for such a big occasion, it must have been very very difficult for Robbie and for the guys on the sidelines as well as Fernando.

"It's the emotion of the time as well. The biggest day in our history, and there was emotion at different levels all over the field and all over the players, so you've got to take these things into account."

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