Reina reborn? Pepe’s experience is proving invaluable for Napoli in the Champions League

Pepe Reina

Napoli host Marseille this evening in Group F as the Italians aim for the knockout stages of the Champions League. The French side will be hoping not to lose their fourth consecutive game in the competition as they look set to finish bottom of the group.

Rafael Benitez took over Napoli in the summer after a successful stint at Chelsea last season. He immediately strengthened the side with the likes of Jose Callejon, Raul Albiol and Gonzalo Higuain but it is a loan signing who has impressed the most in Europe.

Pepe Reina followed Benitez from England to Naples as he joined on a season-long loan deal from Liverpool. Simon Mignolet’s arrival at Anfield sealed Reina’s fate so he was quickly dispatched to Napoli on loan.

He is Napoli’s highest point-scorer in Squawka’s Performance Score ranking system with 91, 15 more than second-placed Albiol. That score also puts him fifth on the list of goalkeepers in the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain’s Salvatore Sirigu is top with 107 points.

Napoli’s Top Performance Scorers (In Champions League)

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His counterpart tonight is Steve Mandanda, who has scored -8 points, leaving him 23rd on the overall list of ‘keepers. He’s struggled to prevent his side from losing in this season’s tournament as he’s conceded seven goals in the three group games so far. Reina has conceded four goals in three matches; one came against Marseille a fortnight ago.

The Spaniard is conceding 1.3 goals on average per game, compared to Mandanda’s 2.3. Reina also makes less saves per game, averaging 2.3 whereas Marseille’s number one is forced into making 4 p/g.

Reina also comes out on top in terms of successful distribution, completing 73% of his throws and kicks.

Reina’s distribution in Europe this season

Mandanda isn’t far behind that, though, completing 72% of his.

Neither goalkeeper has kept a clean sheet in Europe this season but Reina has kept one more domestically than his French opponent; 5 to his 4. However, Reina has played one more match.

It is clear who will be the busier goalkeeper this evening, though, when comparing both domestic and European figures. Mandanda has conceded a goal per game in France, compared to Reina’s 0.73 goals per game.

Napoli’s defence may well be better off as they’re more confident in their goalkeeper’s abilities as Reina commands a 100% claim success rate in Europe and 98% in Serie A. Mandanda has 94% in Ligue 1 and 98% in Europe. It’s a small margin but it all counts. After all, if a goalkeeper spills the ball inside his own area, there’s more chance of the opposition scoring than when a midfielder loses possession, for example.

Mandanda’s 94% claim success rate in Ligue 1 this season

Napoli are likely to beat Marseille tonight and continue their push for qualification to the latter stages of the tournament. The tie will probably rest on the goalkeepers’ hands and whether or not Reina can continue his good form, or Mandanda can improve his. Napoli are benefitting from having a solid goalkeeper but Marseille are struggling and need Mandanda on top form if they are to get anything from Group F.