Veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina signs for Villarreal

Posted July 08, 2022 7:00 am

The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - Veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina is returning to the Spanish league after agreeing to a one-year deal with Villarreal, the club said Friday.

Reina originally played for Villarreal from 2002-2005 before making the leap to Liverpool, where he established himself as a top player at his position.

Reina will turn 40 in August. He last played for Lazio in Italy, after stints with AC Milan, Aston Villa, Napoli and Bayern Munich. He arrives to Villarreal as a free agent.

On joining Unai Emery's team, Reina will likely serve as a backup to GerÃƒ³nimo Rulli after longtime Villarreal goalie Sergio Asenjo moved to Valladolid.

Reina started his career in Barcelona's youth academy. In eight seasons for Liverpool, he helped the team win the FA Cup in 2006 and the English League Cup in 2012. He won the 2015 Bundesliga title with Bayern and the 2014 Italian Cup with Napoli.

Reina was a backup on the Spain teams that won the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers MLS Pro Sports Soccer Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.