Spain striker Fernando Torres has denied that he was angry with coach Luis Aragones for taking him off in the team's 4-1 win against Russia in their opening game at Euro 2008 [Images].

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Torres walked past Aragones when he was replaced by Cesc Fabregas early in the second half of Tuesday's match and did not acknowledge the coach's outstretched hand.

"I was angry with myself and it isn't true that I refused to shake the coach's hand," Torres told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser on Friday.

"Luis was six metres away from me, we weren't that close and I would never show any disrespect to a coach.

"I know that I can't get angry for more than 30 seconds when I've got team mates next to me who didn't play (in the game) at all."

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Aragones, who coached Torres when he was at Atletico Madrid, said earlier this week that he understood the striker's anger at being taken off but that he would not let the incident pass.

"The big advantage of having an ex-player as the coach is that he has experienced these things hundreds to times," said Torres.

"Luis showed me the rules of dressing room when I was 16 years old and the important thing is that what happens is left on the pitch."

Torres is almost certain to be in the starting line-up when Spain play Sweden in their second match in Group D on Saturday.

Photo: Getty Images | Text: Reuters