Sometimes it's easy to forget that footballers are humans too. Fernando Torres isn't just an expensive striker -- he's a real person, with real interactions and real friends. And despite the flaws on the pitch, he does seem genuinely beloved by many of his teammates. And now they're starting to saying goodbye, with Cesar Azpilicueta the first to step up.
Thanks for all my friend, we'll miss you. Good luck on your new adventure with @acmilan You deserve it! #Allthebest pic.twitter.com/jUpDlAqUeO
— César Azpilicueta (@CesarAzpi) August 29, 2014
It's not difficult to imagine Torres helping Azpilicueta settling in after the fullback moved from Marseille in summer 2012, nor is it difficult to imagine that the reports saying that the striker was instrumental in recruited Juan Mata the year before are true. By all accounts, Torres was a good teammate, and although he had a tough time at Chelsea it seems apparent that he'll be missed at Stamford Bridge.
I don't know Torres personally, so it's hard to feel the same sense of loss as his teammates undoubtedly do. But I will join Azpilicueta in wishing him the best at Milan. It's time to leave the past behind and march on, and if Torres can find some of that old magic and leave everyone involved in this deal happy, all the better.