WORLD CUP 2010: Fernando Torres knee operation 'a success' but star denies putting Spain before Liverpool

Anxious wait: Liverpool striker Fernando Torres

The operation on Fernando Torres's injured knee has been deemed a success, handing the striker hope that he will be fit in time to play in this summer's World Cup for Spain.

But Torres has been forced to deny putting country before club after having his second operation on the knee this campaign ended his Liverpool season.

The striker had surgery in Barcelona last night to repair damaged cartilage in his right knee, a problem which resurfaced after a similar operation in January.

That ruled him out of Liverpool's remaining four Barclays Premier League matches and their Europa League semi-final against former club Atletico Madrid but a six-week recovery period still gives him a good chance of going to the World Cup in South Africa.

But Torres said safeguarding his international place was not the overriding factor in the decision to operate again.

'It's not true. We exhausted all the possibilities before arriving at the final one,' said the 26-year-old. 'There were three options. One was that the meniscus was okay, the second was that the problem was not clear and the third that the meniscus was affected.

'On Friday afternoon in Liverpool the scan I had cleared up the doubts and made us see that I would almost definitely have to have an operation. "The meniscus was affected and the doctors said they had to operate.

'What's more, the injury happened in the second minute of the game (Europa League quarter-final second leg) against Benfica at Anfield and I played injured for 85 minutes

European champion: Fernando Torres in action for Spain

No good: Liverpool boss Benitez (right) has tried to protect Torres with numerous early substitutions

If I had been thinking about the World Cup and Spain I would have asked for a change (substitution). It wasn't like that, I wanted to get to the final of the Europa League with my team.'

The Liverpool star last week travelled to the Barcelona clinic for consultation by Eurostar due to the lack of flights after the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

There, Dr Ramon Cugat, who just four months previously had operated on damaged cartilage in Torres's same knee, carried out further surgery that Torres hopes will enable him to feature in South Africa in June.

'The trip was an adventure,' explained Torres. 'I arrived exhausted at 8.30 on Sunday evening and barely had time to have a shower at the hotel before going to the clinic where Dr Cugat was waiting for me. Three hours after I had the meniscus operation.'

And today the striker received a huge boost after the operation was described as 'a success', according to the Telegraph.

Torres is now likely to be out of action for around six weeks, sidelining him for the rest of Liverpool's season. A Reds spokesman confirmed: 'It was decided that he would need surgery on a torn cartilage in his right knee. This was carried out on Sunday and, as a guide, the usual rehabilitation period for this type of procedure is around six weeks.'

A recovery period of this length would give the forward hope of making Spain's World Cup squad. Manager Vicente del Bosque is due to name his 23-man squad for the finals on May 19 - just over four weeks away - before heading to South Africa in the first week of June - in six weeks' time.

Del Bosque must submit his final squad to FIFA by June 1. Spain's opening match is against Switzerland on June 16.

European champions Spain have a growing injury list, which includes Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas, who is recovering from a broken leg and is also a huge doubt for the finals.

But Torres is understood to be 'a certainty' to recover in time to take part, claims the Telegraph.

Torres' injuries have been partly blamed for Liverpool's disappointing campaign, which saw them exit the Champions League and Barclays Premier League title race early and could now also see them miss out on fourth place.

Crocked: Torres was injured again in the Europa League tie with Benfica

The latest setback means Torres will miss an encounter with former club Atletico Madrid for the second successive season.

'It is true this season has been complicated by injuries. It's been difficult and a shame I've not been able to play more games and score more goals,' Torres told his website.

'We (Liverpool) tried for it to be perfect but it hasn't been like that and the only thing now is to think about the prize of being in South Africa. I need to be positive and think there is the World Cup to come, which is now the most important.

'You wait four years for it and if things go well I don't intend to miss it. Today I start to work.'