They starred alongside each other for club and country – but former Liverpool and Spain team-mates Fernando Torres and Alvaro Arbeloa came to blows as they were reunited on the touchline
Fernando Torres and Alvaro Arbeloa got physical on the touchline
Fernando Torres was sent off after reportedly threatening to “blow the head off” his former Liverpool and Spain team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa.
Torres and Arbeloa were reunited on the touchline this afternoon (May 14) as the respective managers of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid’s under-19 sides. Tensions were high between the city rivals in their Champions Cup quarter-final second leg.
And they boiled over when Torres’ side refused to stop play as Real forward Yeray lay injured on the floor before going on to score. Arbeloa was furious with the lack of sportsmanship shown.
He made his way over to Torres, who according to Relevo told him “I’ll blow your head off”. Arbeloa is claimed to have responded: “Start whenever you want.”
Torres pushed his old Reds colleague and was subsequently shown a red card by the referee, who only booked Arbeloa for his involvement.
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The former team-mates exchanged some choice words
It didn’t get any better for Torres as the feisty contest finished in a 2-2 draw, with Real progressing to the semis, having won the first leg 2-0. A total of nine yellows were shown, six of which were given to Atletico.
Torres and Arbeloa played together on 94 occasions for club and country, but it seemed there was no love lost between them because they lie on opposite sides of the Madrid derby.
Torres, who has put on a ton of muscle since his playing days, is in his first coaching role having hung up his boots in 2019. He took charge of Atletico’s youth side in July 2021.
Arbeloa, meanwhile, has worked his way through the ranks at former club Real, where he won every major honour as a player after leaving Anfield. He was first appointed head coach of their under-14s in September 2020, making the step up last year.
