Torres trained on Monday, a day before the game against his old club

Liverpool are optimistic striker Fernando Torres will win his race to be fit to face former club Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Torres, 24, has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in October but manager Rafael Benitez hopes to have him in his squad

"Hopefully he'll be ready," he said on Monday. "If he cannot start then he will be on the bench if all is OK."

"I would say he has a 70% chance of featuring in the game."

He added: "Torres is a fantastic player, he can change games, but we have been playing so well we have not missed him.

"If he is confident and wants to play, he will play. If he is not ready then we will not take a risk."

Atletico was his first club and now he is with Liverpool - two big clubs with lots of fans who love him - so this is massive for him Rafa Benitez

But they missed a host of gilt-edged chances in Saturday's 2-1 Premier League defeat at Tottenham, which cost them top spot to Chelsea.

And Benitez is keen to see the Spaniard back to help secure Liverpool's place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

"Fernando has been working really, really hard and doing good work with the physios," he told the club's website.

"He trained on Monday and will train on Tuesday and then we will decide. I want to wait to see how he feels.

"Atletico Madrid was his first club and now he is with Liverpool - two big clubs with lots of fans who love him, so this is massive for him."

Torres missed the trip to the club he used to captain two weeks ago when a 1-1 draw left Liverpool and Atletico level at the top of Group D with seven points each.

Liverpool's home record against Spanish clubs is poor; they have failed to win any of the last five matches and did not score in the last four.

But Benitez sees the game as the perfect opportunity to quickly recover the momentum of a promising season following the defeat by Spurs.

606: DEBATE Use him as a sub in the last 10 mins...don't risk him from the start phoenixfromtheflames

"It's good we have another important game on Tuesday and the reaction of the players has to be to play well and win the game," he said after that game.

Atletico warmed up for the game with a 2-0 home victory over Real Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday.

Atletico coach Javier Aguirre's decision to bring Sergio Aguero back into his starting line-up paid off, with the Argentine forward scoring both goals in their first league win in five matches.

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