Pepe Reina keeps ‘promise’ to return to Villarreal and says he will retire to the Spanish side after sealing Lazio’s free transfer… 17 YEARS after leaving the club to join Liverpool
Pepe Reina has signed a one-year contract with Villarreal after leaving Lazio
The 39-year-old previously played three seasons for the Spanish club
He helped them qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 2005
Reina became one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League at Liverpool
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Pepe Reina says he has kept his ‘promise’ to return to Villarreal, 17 years after leaving the club to join Liverpool.
The 39-year-old goalkeeper signed a one-year deal with the Spanish club after leaving Lazio at the end of his contract.
Reina previously spent three seasons with Villarreal, helping them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2004 and qualify for the Champions League for the first time a year later.
Pepe Reina says he fulfilled his ‘promise’ to return to Villarreal 17 years after leaving
‘I am very happy,’ said Reina at his unveiling. 17 years ago I spoke to [Villarreal vice-president Jose Manuel] Llaneza and asked him to leave to start a family, grow as footballers, but with the promise of one day returning.
‘I will return with the family I wanted to form, with five children. I couldn’t have ended it better. I’m retiring here. I don’t know if it will be one or two years. I am delighted to contribute so that this club continues to grow in Spain and in Europe.
“It’s the second team I’ve looked at the most after mine. Besides emotion I have feeling about this club. I followed them a lot, in the competition they were exhausted by the physical and mental work to get this far in the Champions League.
The 39-year-old goalkeeper signed a one-year contract after joining Lazio. left in Serie A
Reina helped Villarreal qualify for the Champions League for the first time in his previous period
“Now we have to try in all competitions to finish better than this year. There are foundations and a basis for further growth.’
Madrid-born Reina, who has earned 36 caps for Spain, started his career with Barcelona before his first stint at Villarreal.
His performances for the Yellow Submarine earned him a move to Liverpool in 2005 and he quickly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.
He left the Spanish club for Liverpool and became one of the Premier League’s best ‘keepers’
Reina won the Golden Glove Award in 2006, 2007 and 2008, while only five goalkeepers have kept more clean sheets than him (136) in Premier League history.
The shot-stopper remained at Anfield until 2014 and has since played for Bayern Munich, Napoli, AC Milan, Aston Villa and Lazio.
Villarreal finished seventh in La Liga last season but reached the semi-finals of the Champions League by knocking out Juventus and Bayern Munich before losing to Liverpool.