Spain striker Fernando Torres is eyeing Euro 2008 glory to help him get over his Champions League semi-final heartbreak with Liverpool.
Torres came within touching distance of capping a memorable first season at Anfield with a Champions League final appearance, but agonisingly missed out after a 4-3 aggregate loss to Chelsea in the last four.
That meant Torres, despite netting 33 competitive goals following his big-money move from Atletico Madrid, ended his maiden campaign at Liverpool without any major honours.
Liverpool's loss could be Spain's gain though, with the 24-year-old hitman desperate to win some silverware this summer. 'I have a lot of confidence following this season, and with a lot of desire to be able to finish the season with a title,' he said.
'The semi-finals of the Champions League have left a bad taste in the mouth, we were close to winning the Champions League and you could taste what it could be like to win such an important title.
'It was not to be though and now this (Euro 2008) is the last opportunity to finish with a title of this nature. It will be what I have always dreamed of - a great season and a great end.'
Opinion is divided on Spain's chances of winning this summer's European Championships.
While few doubt they have the ability and the players to walk off with the big prize, Spain's history and reputation for underachieving on the biggest stages casts a heavy shadow over the team.
The Iberian nation have only conquered Europe once in their history, when they won on home soil in 1964, and since then have only managed to get beyond the quarter-finals on one occasion.
Spain are still among the favourites to win the title this summer, but Torres does not believe they are top-dogs heading into the competition.
'I don't think so. The favourites are those who have shown that they can win, who have done it many times. France, Germany, Italy...they have won several tournaments and they are the ones who have to take this tag,' Torres said in El Mundo Deportivo.
'I don't think being favourites does anything other than means you have added pressure and if at the end you do not win there are more critics.
'I don't think Spain have earned this tag. It is what we want to do, to earn this tag and in the future to be favourites. The first step is to win a tournament. When you have already won and you are champions everybody respects you and that is when you became favourites.'
Spain will start their challenge against Russia in Innsbruck next Tuesday, before then meeting Sweden and reigning champions Greece in Group D.
