Answering the taunts and cries of treachery from former club Liverpool, he knew he was on difficult ground.
For he might have recalled that on his first day at Anfield in 2007 he had talked of "a beautiful new adventure, a unique opportunity with one of the best clubs in Europe."
Now the articulate Spaniard was saying the same about Chelsea.
That "in life sometimes there are trains that only come your way once. You have to take that train."
All depending on British Rail, of course.
Defending himself, he used all the intellectual dexterity he could muster - and what he hoped we would see as honesty - to avoid accusations of hypocrisy.
And an admittedly frank admission that, unfortunately, loyalty is a thing of the past. Especially when ambition comes into it - though Liverpool fans might claim an increase in basic salary from £110,000 to £150,000-a-week might have played a part.
Sitting alongside Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea's Cobham training complex, Torres said: "I never once kissed the Liverpool badge. Never.
"And I never kissed the Atletico Madrid badge, even though I was one of their biggest fans.
"Some players do it within five minutes of joining a new club. That's their way. But it's not mine.
"Football is different these days. Players come and go. That is why, for me, much of the romance has gone out of the game.
"So no kissing from me.
"All I want to do is my job. That means scoring goals and achieving all the targets the team has."
Whether this was a new awareness or a convenient excuse is a subject for lengthy discourse between natural cynics and those who want to give the guy a break.
But it was a generally-agreed conclusion that football these days - especially in the Premier League - is about itinerant players. The day of the one-club man is drawing to a close.
The ones that spring to mind - Giggs, Scholes, the recently-retired Gary Neville, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Torres' new Chelsea skipper John Terry - are all the other side of 30.
It's the same at Barcelona with Xavi and Iniesta.
Torres is one of the new, modern breed. A soldier of fortune, maybe, but one who is undoubtedly driven by an enormous desire for success.
He understood and appreciated the plans of the new owners at Anfield but, at 26, felt it was going to take a little too much time. As soon as he knew Liverpool were prepared to sell him, his mind was made up.
He had also looked round the Spanish dressing-room and seen Xavi, Iniesta, Carles Puyol and most of his other World Cup-winning colleagues loaded down with domestic and European club medals.
Of the 14 Spaniards who appeared in last summer's World Cup final, he was one of only four not playing Champions League football - and, after 82 caps, the most high-profile.
He said: "Most of my Spanish team-mates have won all the trophies available to them in the last two years.
"I was lucky to share with them the World Cup and European Championship. But I haven't won titles and the Champions League.
"I'm not jealous of them. In fact, I'm very happy for them. But I want to do the same thing, especially in Europe.
"When I get to 40 or 45, I want to want look at those pictures of me as a club champion. That is my driving ambition."
And that is why he is at Chelsea.
Yet when he returned from South Africa he was hoping it could be with Liverpool.
He added: "Yes, there were problems with the owners and the fact the club had a new manager.
"But I had big expectations and was very excited about the new season, especially after my personal experience at the World Cup.
"Yes, we won it but I wasn't happy with my performance.
"Soon enough, though, it became clear the expectations were not that high.
"It's best to be honest about what you can achieve. People were talking about winning the League or finishing in the top four but within a month we were almost in the relegation zone.
"I wanted to help - and think I did because the club are now nearer the top.
"With John Henry, the club have started to move in the right direction. They have ambition, they know how to do things and how to get Liverpool back to what they were "But they need time. They have to go slowly, step by step.
"When I heard Liverpool were talking with Chelsea, I explained my feelings and was honest with everyone.
"When you have the opportunity of playing for a team in the Champions League, a team who have a chance to win it, and are the right age to do that and compete with the best, you have to go.
"Maybe I felt I didn't have that much time and needed to recover, if not the enthusiasm the knowledge that I still have the goals in me. Chelsea give a more realistic opportunity.
"Chelsea really pressed for me, they really wanted me. Transfer fees are on the way down in football right now but Roman Abramovich paid big money for me. That shows the confidence he has in me.
"He still has plans and ambitions for the future, building a great team, competing with the Manchester clubs and Arsenal and being the best in Europe.
"And that's what I want. I like new challenges. This one is perfect.
"Yes, Liverpool wanted me to stay. But I think they understand. Like I understood when Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano left. They wanted a new life."
As for facing his old team tomorrow, he added: "I won't be nervous. I'm not normally nervous. But it will certainly be strange and difficult emotionally."
And, no, he won't be celebrating if he scores.
I'm sure Liverpool fans will take that into consideration...
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