Reina relishes Liverpool's place in Europe
Liverpool goalkeeper, Pepe Reina, has said that his team values its presence in the Europa League, and that midweek fixtures will allow him to focus on the club's league games.
After finishing seventh in the Premier League, Liverpool missed their chance to enter this year's Champions League, and have settled for Europe's second competition.
"It is always lovely to play in Europe and get some games in different places," Reina told the club's official website ahead of the encounter with Steaua Bucharest on Thursday evening. "This is important for everyone here. We need to be in there, playing
in the group stages. The Europa League is getting better all the time and the teams lining up in it are really strong."
After the club's disappointing domestic season and manager Rafael Benitez' departure, this summer, it was rumoured that some of the club's stars, including Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, would leave Anfield in pursuit of Champions League football.
But like Reina, who joined Liverpool in 2005 and has made 266 league appearances for the club, Gerrard and Torres chose to stay put, while Joe Cole was brought in from Chelsea.
"Unfortunately, we cannot be in the Champions League, but we have to forget about it and put everything we have into making the Europa League a success," Reina said, fully committed to the task ahead.
The keeper, who has yet to trump Iker Casillas for Spain's number one shirt, added that playing two games a week helps him retain his focus.
"As a Liverpool player, you know that you have got to play twice a week. Nothing else will do. When you have midweek games, it is easier to prepare for the weekend."
Liverpool faces Manchester United in a thrilling league derby on Sunday, September 19. None of Roy Hodgson's players should have trouble focusing on that fixture.
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