Rafael Benitez: Pepe Reina's Passion Make Him The Perfect Leader For Liverpool
Spanish keeper just keeps getting better and better...
By Zack Wilson
Reina's passion for the club is that of a supporter, Benitez asserts, and that level of enthusiasm can only have a positive effect on the shot-stopper's team-mates.
"Pepe is the man closest to the fans on the pitch," the coach told the Reds' official website.
"He listens to what they are saying and he knows what they are thinking and you can see the passion he has in the way he plays and the way he directs things.
"He is a fantastic character and he is proud to be here. He has a strong mentality and you can see that in the way he is in the dressing room and around the training ground. He is someone who always wants the best for this team.
"I think he has been playing really well and we are pleased with him. He is a top goalkeeper and has broken a lot of records since we signed him from Villarreal. We are delighted he is with us."
Reina, 27, is reportedly closing in on signing a new deal to extend his stay at Anfield and Benitez can only see him improving as time passes.
"Pepe will continue to get better," the Reds boss added.
"When you talk about goalkeepers who play for top teams, they don't tend to have that much to do during games.
"What sets them apart is being able to make important saves after they have not been busy and we have seen Pepe do that lots of times."
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Here's the thoughts of Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, who felt his side deserved a point from the game.
"They were the better team on the night and that's the story of the day.
"We have to keep fighting, pick ourselves up, get the confidence back and challenge in the other competitions and in the second leg of this tie too.
"They punished us on every occasion; they scored some quality goals and they deserved to win."
Full story HERE
“The score made it look like it was an easy game, but it certainly wasn't.
(Strange... it looked pretty easy from where I was sitting, but hey.)
“I do not think it's over yet. I remember a clash between Milan and Deportivo la Coruna when Milan was also ahead by four goals, and in the end Deportivo eliminated Milan.
“I went into the Arsenal dressing room after the match to speak to Robin van Persie. I had agreed with him to swap shirts – my sons are big fans of his and he brought two for them. They will be delighted.
Van Bommel went on to talk about a possible move to PSV in the future, but was quick to point out his terms for the move.
“I've spoken with PSV, but we don't have an agreement yet. The club has to decide what they want.
“If Louis van Gaal turns out to be the new coach, I won't go.”
"Tonight everything went in the right direction and we did a very good match. You don't start a match thinking to win 4-0, but at the end i think we deserved it coz we played very well."
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