Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone says Fernando Torres will start against Real Madrid in tonight's Copa del Rey clash. Simeone is convinced the new signing can handle a full 90.

"Torres starts against Madrid," he declared.

"Torres came after training with Milan. He had already played ten league games there. He has spent several days working with us and tomorrow he will start playing. If I did not see him with strength, with the potential to break opposing defences, I would not count on him.

"He has different characteristics to the others in our group and he will enhance our attack. I have great memories of him of when he was young - I got on very well with him when I was here before and at Atlético now there are players with a sense of belonging.

"He has arrived at one of the best Atlético Madrid sides in history and the supporters are behaving in an extraordinary way. The presentation with 45,000 supporters the other day was thrilling. We feel that we can compete for everything - for La Liga, for the Champions League and for the Copa del Rey. For everything."