Goalkeeper Pepe Reina has told he wants to keep the traditions of Liverpool FC alive, and how the reaction to the Benfica defeat had a massive effect on him and the rest of the squad.
Speaking in ‘the big interview’ on the official website, Reina said “The history of the club is important to me though. Even simple things, like touching the ‘This is Anfield’ sign before walking on to the pitch are important because you need to keep the traditions alive. You think, if the player who came before me and were so successful felt the need to touch the sign, then so should I.”
It’s comments like these from many of the Rafa signings which have endeared them with the fans and shows they have the club and fans at heart, rather than being ‘a johnny foreigner’.
Speaking of the Benfica match Pepe said “The supporters of Liverpool are unbelievable. We lost 2-0 to Benfica at Anfield and you could still hear the Liverpool fans singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. It was such an amazing thing to hear considering the fact that we were about to concede our European crown. The fans had been singing about how we were going to win it six times in Paris all season and then when that was about to become impossible, they didn’t turn on the players. Instead, they launched into this amazing rendition of the club anthem and that really got to all the players. I’m not sure you’d hear anything like that in similar circumstances anywhere else in the world. After I heard that, I personally wanted to go to every supporter in the ground and say, ‘We can only say we are sorry and, thank you, because we tried to win it for you’. “
- You can read the full interview with Reina here
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