Liverpool is bigger than Chelsea: Torres

London: Fernando Torres has admitted Liverpool are a bigger club than Chelsea but says he moved to Stamford Bridge because he was losing enthusiasm for football at Anfield.

The striker has been heavily criticised by supporters of the Reds since his £50 million move to west London after three-and-a-half successful years on Merseyside.

Despite his motives for the move being questioned, Torres insists he had to make the switch for sporting reasons.

"Liverpool will always be very special to me," he told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.

"Because of its history, Liverpool is a bigger club, but it is going through a difficult time.

"Money was not important - I left to improve sporting-wise. I thought I would stay one more year and take it as a transition season.

"But a time comes when you lose enthusiasm, you see those in the Spanish national team are playing at a different level

"Then when everything looked black, Chelsea came and showed a real interest in me."

The 26-year-old built on his claims that Chelsea were the right club for him by analysing their status in the English game over the last decade.

Torres continued: "Chelsea are like Manchester United - the strongest over the last 10 years.

"One [Liverpool or Chelsea] is not better than the other - I'm just happy to have had the fortune of playing for both of them.

"I have been pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere in the Chelsea changing room.

"I thought it would be more distant but the atmosphere is very good. They laugh, they joke and it’s nice."

Torres is currently on duty with Spain ahead of their home friendly with Colombia and admits it is a welcome opportunity to get away from the spotlight in England.

"These past 10 days have been very intense and it still is," he said.

"Everything has gone so quickly and it's as though I have a lot of information in my head.

"It seems that a month has gone by instead of a week. I want to enjoy playing with the national team because we are champions of everything.

"This game is good for me to disconnect from it all."