Friday, November 06, 2009

Raging Reds Keeper Pepe Reina Slams Liverpool's 'Disgraceful' Champions League Campaign


Goalkeeper Pepe Reina has branded Liverpool's Champions League performances this season 'disgraceful'.

The Spain international was left fuming after conceding a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw in Lyon on Wednesday night which has left the Reds' qualification from the group stages in the hands of rival teams.

Liverpool now require Lyon to take something from Fiorentina in Florence on November 24 – and win their final two matches against Debrecen and the Italians – to stand any chance of progressing.

After seeing Ryan Babel's stunning opener cancelled out by Lisandro's last-minute strike, Reina said: 'Disgracefully we are not depending on ourselves; we need Lyon to get something in Fiorentina.

'It's not the end. We have got two games to go. Our priority is to win our two games that remain and we will keep trying.

'Miracles? They happen, particularly at Liverpool.'

Anfield manager Rafa Benitez's future has been further questioned after the result in Lyon as a Europa League campaign beckons.

Liverpool were missing seven senior players and started with a clearly unfit Fernando Torres at the Stade de Gerland.

And Reina and Co were left especially disappointed by the outcome.

'That was our best performance in the Champions League so far this season,' he added in an interview with the Liverpool Echo. 'Even in some of our league wins, we didn't play as well as that.

'We didn't deserve anything but a win. I'm really disappointed as we were unlucky. We have got to look for the positives and that is we played well under big, big pressure. We can handle the pressure.

'We can trust in ourselves and we will turn this situation around, I am sure of that. We have got enough quality and enough character.'

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