Liverpool striker Fernando Torres said on Monday that he was fit and ready to play for Spain in Wednesday's midweek friendly game.

Torres has been named in the Spain squad for the match against England in Sevilla's Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, despite having suffered two hamstring injuries this season.

He started Liverpool's league game away to Portsmouth on the bench at the weekend and, before coming on to score the winning goal deep into injury time.

Liverpool recently sold striker Robbie Keane to Tottenham and an injury to the Spaniard would leave their attack short of players. For that reason Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez has made it clear that he would prefer Torres not to play on Wednesday, although the striker insisted he sees no problems.

"You have to realize that after the injuries, I have to administer the minutes that I play. Everyone has seen that Benitezhas rested players because we have to play a lot of games, but I have been called up and I am ready to play as much time as (Spain coach) Vicente del Bosque believes appropriate," Torres said at a press conference reported in Sports paper Marca.

"I feel in condition to play, I hope that the game goes well and I can play again next weekend and then in the Champions League against Real Madrid and for the rest of the season."

"Everyone wants to play when they are called up by the national team," said Torres.

(Xinhua News Agency Feburary 10, 2009)