Fernando Torres says his time at Chelsea was like 'swimming in wet clothes'

Former Liverpool and Chelsea star Fernando Torres has claimed his time at Stamford Bridge was like "swimming in wet clothes" but still has good memories on the Champions League success. The Spaniard moved to West London in January 2011 for club a transfer record fee of £50m after enjoying three and a half impressive campaigns at Anfield, scoring 81 goals in 142 matches.

But Torres failed to make the impact expected at Stamford Bridge all under Carlo Ancelotti, Andre Villas-Boas, Roberto Di Matteo, and Jose Mourinho. So after a very short experience at AC Milan, the 30-year-old striker decided to return to his boyhood side Atletico Madrid during the January transfer window.

Even though he was a hero at the Vicente Calderon before his moved to Anfield there where some doubts over whether he could rediscover his best form in La Liga following his last two failures.

Asked about it during an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais, he said: "The doubts were understandable because people do not see the Premier League, or the short time I was at Milan -- they read the statistics, and they were not the same as always."

"The worst part about not playing is when you think that you are ready to do it. You try to get more minutes, taking the chances, but you you end up in a situation where things have not gone well for weeks, or for years. That is like swimming in wet clothes. I know how I am, and I am good. In the end these doubts disappear, but then others come again."

Even though he struggled to secure regular time at West London he eventually scored a crucial goal against Barcelona to seal Chelsea's place in the Champions League final of 2012 and as well a number of key strikes in the Europa League victory of 2013.

So questioned whether he feels himself a Champions League winner after playing just a small part in the Blues success in 2011-2012, he said, "Yes, because I had important moments".

"In the semi-final against Barcelona I scored a goal and in the final I came on with eight minutes remaining and I feel that I helped the team to overcome the result. I have good memories because winning the Champions was a dream since I was a kid when I used to go to seet Atletico Madrid. The World Cup and the European Championships were not a dream because it was unthinkable to win it. Having won that Champions League (with Chelsea) makes me feel very proud."