Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas said he had cleared the air with Fernando Torres after the Spanish striker helped set up a 2-0 Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Torres had ruffled feathers following an interview he had given in Spain in which he appeared to criticise some of his team-mates as “old and very slow,” drawing a frosty response from Villas-Boas.
But after watching Torres create both second-half goals for David Luiz and Juan Mata on Tuesday, Villas-Boas said the case against his striker was closed and no disciplinary action would be taken.
“It’s been solved. The investigation is over. We had a chat and the situation is solved,” Villas-Boas said without going into details.
Despite Torres’ contribution to both goals, the £50 million striker failed to give a wholly convincing performance as Chelsea launched their latest quest for European domination with a win in Group E.
The former Liverpool striker often appeared hesitant, seeming to take one touch too many before shooting.
Nevertheless Villas-Boas was satisfied with Torres’ display and defended his decision to pass to Mata instead of going for goal.
“I’m not worried. There was a player in front of goal and I think he took the right option. I think when he arrived in that position he took a wise decision,” Villas-Boas said.
“I’m very happy collectively. I prefer to see the game like that. Everybody has been amazing in absorbing all of these new ideas, and I’m very pleased with the group.”
Villas-Boas also defended his risky move to omit both John Terry and Frank Lampard from his starting line-up, a selectorial gambit made with one eye on Sunday’s Premier League trip to Manchester United.
Facing United at Old Trafford is likely to prove the most demanding assignment of Villas-Boas’s short reign at Chelsea so far, with the champions having made a blistering start to the season.
“Sunday is a different kind of challenge altogether,” Villas-Boas admitted. “We face Man. United in perhaps their most tremendous moment, of flair and style.
“It provokes in us a good challenge and motivation will be the key factor for the game.”