Nemanja Vidic Called Fernando Torres Difficult to Fight

DBasia.news – So many battles in the past are long remembered in the Premier League. One of the memorable moments is the duel of Fernando Torres, former Liverpool and Chelsea, against former Manchester United center back Nemanja Vidic.

The Serbian defender played more than 200 games with United from mid-2006-2014 and formed a strong defense behind Rio Ferdinand’s tandem. Both duets are remembered as one of the iconic duets of the Red Devils and the best Premier League.

In top condition there are not many players who can get past Vidic, a Serbian player who is uncompromising when facing opponents, straightforward, and disciplined in guarding his zone. But among all the opponents he has ever faced, Vidic has never been able to ‘pocket’ Fernando Torres.

El Nino – Torres’ nickname – is like a natural kryptonite for Nemanja Vidic with its advantages when accelerating, dribbling the ball past the opponent.

In the 2008-09 season, Vidic received red card twice due to fatigue facing Torres who played at Liverpool. Be it at Anfield or Old Trafford, Vidic received a red card. Then in 2009 Torres terrorized the United defense – again Vidic was overwhelmed.

Vidic openly acknowledged Torres as the top striker who made him overwhelmed.

“Torres is a top player. At that time, he was probably the best striker in the league. He scored several goals against United,” Vidic said at the time.

“In the Premier League, I have some good matches against (Didier) Drogba, sometimes bad.”

“I played well against Torres one week, then one bad game, that’s the Premier League. You won’t be at the top of your game every week.”

Vidic’s colleague at the heart of United’s defense, Ferdinand admitted that his tandem was really exhausted when facing Torres, which is difficult to stop in his prime.

“There will always be one player in your career that is difficult (countered),” Ferdinand said in the podcast The Beautiful Game Carragher.

“He might not be the best player on the planet, but his style was made to hurt your style. Torres might be like that for Nemanja. He’s someone he’s difficult to fight.”

“He is probably the only player that I have seen consistently giving Vida trouble, and he was sent off in some matches, wasn’t that, at the start of the match.”

“But listen, Torres is a great player and when he is at his best momentum, when he is at Liverpool, he is one of the best strikers. He is a very dangerous striker,” explained Ferdinand.

In contrast to Vidic, Ferdinand actually has relatively no difficulty against Torres because he reads the game better with his playing style. Ferdinand also has names that have become his scourge in the past.

“But with me duel one on one, to be honest, he (Torres) did not give any problems. That’s how it is,” added Ferdinand.

“One of my strikers is the most difficult to fight when people ask me – other than the obvious, like (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi – is Kevin Davies. You would never expect that,” he explained.