Interviewed by De la Morena on 'El Larguero'. Just because i love you lot
Liverpool were camped this past week in the city of Algarve, in the south of Portugal. On Friday, they returned to Liverpool and this past weekend they had no Premiership matches to play, so they are well rested and focused on this match against Barcelona…
It’s 12:39am, an hour less in Liverpool where Pepe Reina is now…
Goalkeeper!...- Hello, how are you?
Good evening man- Good eveving.
Is it really, or is it raining there?- [laughs] It’s raining for a change.
It’s raining here as well...you arrive tomorrow, at what time?- Well…I think at around 1 or so.
Bring your raincoat, eh- Yes? It’s raining over there as well!?
It is- Well…
You’re back from Algarve now and you arrive here tomorrow…has the time over in Algarve helped you?- Yes, I think the team has worked really well and we have prepared for the match and, well, I hope everything turns out as planned and the team plays well organized and that things go the way we worked them.
Because… yesterday you had the day off since you were already eliminated from the Cup competition- Yes, unfortunately we didn’t get to play since we were eliminated in January and well we’ve had these 10 days to prepare in calm for this game.
Is it going to feel strange for you tomorrow, standing under the goalposts at the Camp Nou against Barça in a Champions League match?- Hmmm no, well, I’m going to be feeling happy for being able to play in the elimination rounds of the Champions against an immense team like Barça and on a marvelous pitch that brings about a lot of good memories but I’ve already played there more than once as an opposing player and having been lucky enough to [laughs] well I haven’t won there before, but I’ve had good results in the sense that I’ve only lost one match of the three I’ve played there and hopefully tomorrow luck will keep on smiling upon me and we’ll get a good result.
Besides, the Camp Nou[faithful] still has a lot of affection for you right?- Yes, I think so, I think that, well the feeling is mutual and I hope that I get a good reception from the people there because I came through and spent seven years in Barcelona, it’s been my home for a long time and I think there’s a lot of good memories and feelings from that time.
Pepe, do you watch a lot of Barça matches?- Yes, well, for the most part here in England, Real Madrid and Barcelona are practically shown on TV every weekend and since back December when we knew that the odds were big on us landing one of the two even more so.
Did you watch them against Valencia, yesterday?- Yes, yes, I saw it.
And what did you make of it?- Well…Valencia is a very difficult team to play against, they play well and defend very well and besides they have players that are very fast on the counter-attack and, well, perhaps that was a bit what sentenced the match, that Valencia played their cards right and they played a very complete game against Barça.
And uncle Rafa…rehearsing during this whole time that you’ve been preparing for this match…are you going to play in a similar style as Valencia did?- [Laughs] I can’t tell you that, I don’t know, we’ll see…
Nah, it’s just between us…If this is just, no…- [Laughs] Nobody is listening right…
No, no..- We’ll see, we just need to be smart, use our weapons and with the players that we’ve got, try to take advantage of their qualities and get a good result that we can take to Anfield for the second leg, that’s all.
With Liverpool now you’re third in the league but 16 points behind Manchester. Why is that, is there a big difference between Manchester this year and the rest?- Well, we started the season really bad…practically from our first seven matches away from Anfield we got like two draws and five losses and that’s something that we’ve had a difficult time overcoming and besides it happens that Chelsea and Manchester started the season really strong and didn’t have many failures and the gap becomes very difficult to close down. Hopefully next season we can have a better start and with the new project of investment and else, things can go better.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo as good as people seem to think over here?- Ehhhh, I think he is. I think that he’s the type of player that can win a match by himself and that not only has individual skill but can make those around him better too. He’s one of the most dangerous players in the world right now.
If you could add a player to your team out of all the Premiership, who would take? Him?- Hmm, I don’t know because there are many good players. Drogba is also an amazing player so it’s difficult to say [laughs] so there are many great footballers in England almost the same or even higher level than Spain and it’s difficult to choose but right now Cristiano Ronaldo is the most decisive players in the league.
And Reina from Barça who would you take on your team- Ehhhh, well I have a certain debility for two players: Iniesta and Messi but Barça have many good players all over the pitch but to pick just one or two is hard but perhaps right now because of quality, youth and ability; Messi and Iniesta are two players that I like very much.
Messi is back and he’s looking lively and Iniesta is just a marvel, isn’t he? He’s in great form- Yes, yes, besides I tell you that I have the luck of playing with him in the National Team and I’m in love with him he’s the type of player that makes it seem easy…
He doesn’t get in trouble, ever, not even in the dressing room…!- No, no besides his attitude…
For the sake of not arguing I don’t think he ever argues with his girlfriend!!!- Yes, his attitude…he’s very humble, a gentleman, affectionate, respectful and looking to do his job at all times, trying to add something to the team, so a player of that category is necessary.
Are you still saving tons of penalties, still inspired?- [Laughs] To tell you the truth we’ve only had one penalty against and they scored so, well, we’ve had few against and, we’ve been lucky enough to not concede many penalties but the one he gave away, unfortunately went in.
You have three years left on your contract, no?- I have two left…
Two more…and I heard that they want to extend it?- Well, we’re on it…we’ll see, I’m happy here and the Club seems to be happy with me as well and that’s the idea, no? to talk about extending my contract and we’ll see, well, both parts are looking into it and hopefully we’ll reach an agreement soon.
You’re going to become a father soon, no?- Yes, God willing, in twenty days, my life will change completely and we’re awaiting very excitedly the little girl’s arrival.
Well, you won’t have a thing to do, you get to applaud- [Laughs] No, I’ll try to help my wife in every way possible and that’s something, like I said, that’s got us both very excited and we’re waiting anxiously.
It’s going to be a girl?- Yes, a girl.
And where is this going to take place, there in Liverpool?- Hmmm, no, no…because everything…the family, the doctors, and in general we’re going to do it in Cordoba, God willing, and well, she’ll be a “Cordobesa”.
Of course, man! Besides you are Taurino[Bullfighting stuff]- Yes, I have some friends that are really into it and, in general, I like the culture, and the way of life in Andalucia and… I have a lot of roots there and, well the Reina family will still have links there, no?
Pepe Reina, I’m very happy for you to come back to your country and especially to that field of dreams of yours that is the Camp Nou…a big hug, eh?- Okay, to you lot also, thank you very much.
