TWIN CHALLENGES COULD POSE PROBLEM FOR BILIC Let’s get ready to rumble! Pepe issuesVilla battle cry
SEASONED goalkeeper Pepe Reina will tell his new Aston Villa team-mates to believe in Premier League survival “from the bottom of their hearts.”
Villa slipped back into the bottom three following Sunday’s 6-1 massacre at the hands of Manchester City.
The defeat, their largest at home for nearly four years, was the club’s sixth in eight league games, in which the opposition have scored 21 times.
Reina, who completed his loan move from AC Milan on Monday, reckons there’s enough in the squad to avoid the drop and wants to make sure the feeling is mutual among his peers.
“We have to make sure we all know we’re capable of staying in the Premier League,” said the former Liverpool stopper. “I want them to believe this from the bottom of their hearts.
“We need to play with discipline, play together and with determination; these kind of things need to be our basics. It’s a great dressing room; I’ve been told they are great lads.
“Now we need the mentality to be strong and ready for a good battle in the last games.” A World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain, Reina has also won many honours in club football.
The 37-year-old has lifted trophies in England, Italy and Germany and hopes the experience he has gained from a glittering career will help to forge a winning mentality among the players.
“I will give my best to make them believe we can achieve the target by all means,” he said.
“I want to help by playing the best I can and also giving the team a stronger mentality with my support, my experience and my own soul.
“We all need to improve and give our best until the end of the season to reach that target of maintaining Villa in the Premier League.” Reina, who racked up 285 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, including 134 clean sheets, was signed to bolster Dean Smith’s options following Tom Heaton’s season-ending knee injury. The Spaniard met Heaton during a guided tour of the club’s Bodymoor Heath training complex.
The pair exchanged more than just pleasantries as they took time to get know each other, however briefly. “It’s going to be tough to replace you,” Reina told Villa’s undisputed No.1. “Don’t be giving it that one!” Heaton quipped. “It’s nice you’re back over here, brilliant.”
Heaton faces a battle to be fit in time for the start of next season after suffering his injury in the 2-1 win at Burnley on New Year’s Day. Asked by Reina how his rehabilitation was going, the Chester-born gloveman said: “Yeah, coming on mate, to be fair. A little bit painful last few days, but I’m getting there mate.”
Milan boss Stefano Pioli has favoured Italy’s current No.1 Gianluigi Donnarumma between the sticks, limiting Reina to only one appearance this season.
The veteran, whose list of former clubs includes Barcelona, Villareal, Bayern Munich and Napoli, could make his Villa debut against Brighton on Saturday. It would be his first appearance since a 2-1 Serie A win at Genoa at the start of October and first in English football’s top flight for nearly seven years.
“It’s a great competition and probably the greatest league in the world – the most followed one with iconic and historic clubs,” Reina added. “Let’s rumble. I can’t wait to be on the pitch and to give a hand to the team.
“Mentally, I’m ready for this challenge, physically, I’m absolutely grateful for being 37. Let’s go, let’s start, I can’t wait.”