PEPE REINA’S spot-kick heroics have left him facing a real final dilemma.While the rest of his Liverpool team-mates spend the next three weeks fending off ticket requests, the Spanish keeper will be desperately trying to talk his inspiration into taking one.
On Tuesday, Reina lifted his reputation as Europe’s best penalty stopper to new heights, with two outstanding saves in the Champions League shootout against Chelsea.
It helped the Reds to a 4-1 penalty-kick triumph in the Anfield semi-final showdown and booked a place in their second European Cup final in three years.
That is where the problems start for the man whose Millennium Stadium wonder show a year ago earned Liverpool FA Cup glory over West Ham in identical circumstances.
His father, Miguel, himself once a European Cup final goalkeeper, gets so nervous watching his son play he rarely goes to live matches and he will need some persuading to attend the final in Athens on Wednesday May 23.
Reina admitted: “I will try to convince my father to come to the game, but he suffers when he watches me live and it can be dangerous.
“He has had some health problems, but nothing serious — it is more to do with nerves and his temper.
“He has only been to watch me six or seven times during my whole career. It is difficult for him as a father who was also a goalkeeper.
“My father knows the situation and what one mistake can mean, so he prefers not to watch me live.
“He came to watch me at Anfield in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven last month, but that was only because the tie was all but over and we were winning 3-0 from the first leg.
“But I will try to convince him to come to Athens. It could be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion so he must come to that game.”
Reina is certainly hoping he enjoys a better slice of fortune in the European final than his dad did some 33 years ago.
In 1974 Miguel was between the sticks for Atletico Madrid’s clash with Bayern Munich.
He leaked a last-gasp goal that earned the Germans a replay — which they promptly won 4-0.
Now Reina, 24, wants to put the family record straight and admitted he will be picking his father’s brains over what to expect.
He added: “My father played in a European Cup final but hopefully it will not be the same result.
“We haven’t spoken much about that, but now we have plenty of time to do so now.
“The game was before I was born, but I have seen it on video.
“Knowing he played in a European Cup final has been special to me.
“If Liverpool can win the trophy then I think it would mean a lot to him — he would be the proudest father in the world. He didn’t push me to do anything, but certainly encouraged me when I began to show an interest in being a goalkeeper.
“I think, because of my father, football is just naturally in my blood.
“Having said that, just because my father was a goalkeeper didn’t automatically mean I was going to become one too.
“I’ve got five brothers and I’m the only one who is a goalkeeper.”
Reina arrived at Anfield two years ago with a reputation as one of the game’s best penalty stoppers after a host of successes with Villarreal.
And he puts all his success down to mental toughness, good fortune, endless hours studying videos . . . and a secret extra which he refuses to divulge.
He revealed: “My penalty record is down to luck, but you have to like football too.
“The more you watch games, the more information you learn. Ahead of the Chelsea game I didn’t do too much different than I would normally do, but it is important to know what their players do at other moments.
“It depends always on the situation of the game. There are many things. But I won’t say too much more because that is my secret.
“To be a great goalkeeper — and that is what I am trying to be — you must be f***ing strong. Excuse me for using that word.
“Your mistakes are magnified and, at a club like Liverpool, more so.
“Every one is seen as the end of the world and you have to be very strong mentally to ignore that.
“But throughout my career I have had to be strong.
“The start of this season was like that and when I had to leave Barcelona for Villarreal it was the same. I learned a lot from that experience.
“When I left I knew I had to take a step back to move forward again. I think I have done that now, but we still have a big game to play.”
Two years ago Reina was weeks away from a £6million switch to Liverpool signing, and watched the Champions League win over AC Milan in Istanbul with a few drinks, knowing he was heading to the European champions.
This time he hopes to be toasting success as a crucial member of the line-up. He added: “I was at home drinking beers because I knew I was joining Liverpool.
“That was an amazing night and now we have to try and repeat it. I have spoken with Jerzy Dudek many times about what happened and he’s bored me with all his stories!
“It feels amazing, fantastic to be in the European Cup final. It was an excellent night for everyone and I feel very proud to be part of this club.
“I came to Liverpool to experience nights like this. My aim was to win trophies. I managed to win one last year and hopefully I will this season.
“We have to go on and win the competition now. Liverpool is all about winning trophies and we have to make sure that we do that in May and write another piece of history.”
By:PHIL THOMAS
Date:03 May 2007
Credit:www.thesun.co.uk
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