Torres excited for 'perfect finale' with Iniesta and Villa
Sagan Tosu face Vissel Kobe in Fernando Torres' last professional game, pitting him against two friends as he ends his career.
Fernando Torres believes facing former Spain colleagues David Villa and Andres Iniesta will make for "the perfect finale" when he plays his last professional match in the J.League on August 23.
Having announced his decision to retire from football and bring the curtain down on 18 trophy-laden years in the game, Torres explained his decision to make Sagan Tosu's clash with Vissel Kobe his last appearance.
The 35-year-old striker shared Spain's Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup triumphs with Villa and Iniesta, both of whom chose to move to Japan in the last 14 months.
Torres, who left Atletico Madrid for Sagan in July 2018, said the opportunity to end his career in the company of friends was too good to miss.
"When we took the decision that this was going to be the last season, we thought about doing it as best we could and there was a fixture on the calendar against Vissel Kobe, so I decided on that date," he told AS.
"Japan gives me the opportunity to retire on the football pitch with two friends who have meant a lot to me.
"I partnered up front with David when the history of the Spanish side changed, we've played so many games, we've scored so many goals.
"With Andres, our careers have been in parallel because we started together in the Spain set-up when we were 15 years old. We won everything with full Spain team, we left our clubs the same year and we came to the same league."
June 23, 2019
Torres has yet to find the net for a struggling Sagan Tosu side in 2019, making six starts and 11 appearances as the club picked up four wins from their 16 J.League matches, leaving them at the foot of the table.
Vissel Kobe are five points above them in 13th, but competitive rivalry will briefly take a backseat when the two clubs meet at Ekimae Real Estate Stadium.
"I'm going to be able to have two friends on the field, so I can give them a hug the day I hang up my boots," said Torres.
"It's the perfect finale."