Liverpool legend admits his new club signed him with no intention of playing him

Pepe Reina is still playing at the top level aged 42 after joining Serie A side Como last summer but the ex-Liverpool man has revealed he was brought in to provide experience in the dressing room

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has admitted new club Como signed him to help instil a winning mentality in the dressing room after linking up with Cesc Fabregas’ side. The veteran shot-stopper was regarded as one of the best keepers in world football during his prime after spells at Anfield, Barcelona, AC Milan and Bayern Munich during his career.

Reina made his first professional appearance in football for Barcelona in 1999 and is still playing at the top level in Serie A for Como after nearly 1,000 career outings.

He signed for Como on a one-year deal last summer and has contributed with 10 Serie A appearances so far, but he has not played since December and has been a back-up keeper since.

But Reina is aware he was not brought in by Fabregas to be first choice as he revealed the role he plays within the squad, drafted in for his off the pitch qualities.

“On the pitch, I’ve participated when they needed me,” he told the Athletic. “But I know my role is above all off the pitch. What was needed was to instil more of a winning mentality in the dressing room.”

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Reina is a popular figure at Liverpool after helping the club win four trophies during his time at Anfield, including the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

He played a total of 394 times in a spell spanning eight seasons before being loaned to Napoli and eventually sold to Bayern.

When asked how former Spain team-mate Fabregas convinced him to join Como, he said it was an easy sell.

“It was a very quick call, 10 minutes, and the ‘mister’ convinced me about the project,” he said.

“For sure, Cesc is going to be one of the very top coaches. He has his ideas of football and also a pragmatism when it comes to communicating his message to everyone. He convinces you. I’ll always be older than him but now he’s the one in charge.”

On what qualities the ex-Arsenal man was bringing to Como as a coach, Reina added: “[He] has had the good fortune to have had many great coaches, and you learn from them all.

“For sure, Arsene Wenger was a really important figure for him. He taught him many things, which he now uses in his speeches, in his tactical ideas. But the team has kept evolving and adapting.”

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