Reina criticises own Liverpool form ahead of FA Cup final
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has criticised his own form ahead of the FA Cup final against Chelsea on Saturday, with the Spain international telling the Daily Mirror that even if he is named man of the match in the Wembley fixture, it will not make up for the mistakes he has made this season.
Reina added: “I don’t think my season has been good at all. It has been below my standards and I know I haven’t been great. There have been a number of mistakes by me. I had six really good years before this and people get used to that level from me, but sometimes you have a dip in form and must accept it.”
The 29-year-old joined Liverpool in 2005 from Villarreal, having come through Barcelona’s famed youth academy before joining the Yellow Submarine in 2002. Reina replaced Jerzy Dudek as Rafael Benitez’s first-choice goalkeeper despite the Pole’s heroics at the end of the prior season, when he helped Liverpool win the 2005 Champions League after a penalty shoot-out with Milan.
Reina however has his own spot-kick pedigree as he was part of the Liverpool side that won the 2006 FA Cup by that method against West Ham United. The match finished 3-3 after extra time but Liverpool eventually triumphed 3-1 on penalties, with Reina saving three efforts, the last of which, from Anton Ferdinand, proved to be the match-winning stop.
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