Reina settling to Reds task

By Simon Hart

Spanish goalkeeper José Manuel Reina had one word to describe his debut for Liverpool FC: "Special."

Smooth introduction
Welsh minnows Total Network Solutions FC may have given Reina just one shot to save in Wednesday night's UEFA Champions League first qualifying round tie but a capacity crowd and a 3-0 victory meant a satisfactory introduction to Anfield for the Reds' latest arrival from Spain.

Full house
"It was special," Reina told uefa.com. "I got a good reception from the fans when I went out to warm up and it went really well. My first official game here and the team won in front of a full house – I don't think you can ask for more than that."

'Step forward'
In Reina's eyes, his €8.7m transfer from Villarreal CF represents a major "step forward" in his career. He may have helped Villarreal finish third in the Spanish league last season - where they conceded just ten league goals in 19 home games - and secure Champions League qualification for the first time but there was no hesitation when Rafael Benítez came calling.

Spanish legion
"Liverpool are the champions of Europe and not everyone has the chance to play for the European champions," he said. "In addition there are a lot of Spanish players here which will help me settle quickly, and then there is the history of the club – it's one of the best clubs you can hope to play for."

'Easier to settle'
The arrivals of Reina and young defender Antonio Barragán have swollen the squad's Spanish contingent to seven and the 22-year-old admitted that the presence of so many compatriots was helping him find his feet fast. "Having so many Spaniards here is obviously making things easier for me to settle," he said. "I am in constant contact with them, we go out for lunch and dinner, and they have been showing me around the city."

Winning ambition
It was the football, of course, that was the main lure for Reina when swapping the Mediterranean for the Mersey and he has set himself twin targets for his first campaign in England. "I want to do a good job for the team and after that the aim is to win – to win matches and to win trophies because that is what it is all about," he said. "When you are at a club like this you have to aspire to win things.

'Complete goalkeeper'
"Personally, this is a step forward coming here and I want to keep developing. Any goalkeeper has to be complete and to be the complete goalkeeper you have to keep on working and improving."

Spain's gain
And if he continues improving, there is the chance of a first cap for Spain, following his first call-up to the senior squad in May. Benítez has labelled him "the best goalkeeper in Spain" but while next summer's FIFA World Cup finals sit on the horizon, for now Reina's thoughts are exclusively on Liverpool.

Priorities
"The World Cup would be great, it would be fantastic to achieve that but the most important thing is to do well here. If you do well in the European Cup for Liverpool, then you have to have a chance."