Sunday, March 22, 2009

Reina Set To Beat Liverpool FC Clean Sheet Record

Rafa Benitez has hailed the “complete” Pepe Reina as he looks to break one of the club’s longest standing goalkeeping records.

Reina needs just one clean sheet to clock up a century of shut-outs and should he reach the landmark in his next three games he will eclipse a record set by the great Ray Clemence more than three decades ago.

Reds legend Clemence reached his century of clean sheets after 200 games, while Reina’s current total is 99 after 196.

Benitez is hoping that the keeper he brought to Anfield almost four years ago in a £6m deal with Villarreal can make another mark in Liverpool’s history books by getting the clean sheet he needs – perhaps even in tonight’s home game with Aston Villa.

“Clearly the team is defending well as a team,” said Benitez.

“I can remember a lot of situations when Pepe was one versus one with a striker and he has made some fantastic saves so I think that he deserves this record if he can break it because he is a very good goalkeeper.

“Hopefully it will happen this weekend because if it does it will mean that we have a better chance of winning.”

“I think that Pepe is a fantastic goalkeeper with a great character,” he added.

“He is very positive and he is very offensive in his play and that is very important when you talk about a goalkeeper because it means he is always looking to launch a counter attack.”

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