Reina departure confirmed

Napoli’s famous stadium announcer has confirmed Pepe Reina will have a “farewell party” tonight, positing an emotional open letter.

It was reported yesterday that the goalkeeper and his wife were taking the team to dinner, ahead of his move to Milan.

While it was believed that would take place on Tuesday night, it has now been confirmed that the farewell to the Spaniard will be tonight.

“Pepe and I don’t have much in common,” Daniele Bellini, known as ‘Decibel Bellini’, wrote on Instagram.

Napoli’s famous stadium announcer has confirmed Pepe Reina will have a “farewell party” tonight, positing an emotional open letter.

It was reported yesterday that the goalkeeper and his wife were taking the team to dinner, ahead of his move to Milan.

While it was believed that would take place on Tuesday night, it has now been confirmed that the farewell to the Spaniard will be tonight.

“Pepe and I don’t have much in common,” Daniele Bellini, known as ‘Decibel Bellini’, wrote on Instagram.

“He is rich, famous and handsome and I’m a normal lad who came from nothing. He’s two years younger than me, but always struck me as the older brother I never had.

“The one who if you have a problem you can ask him, but who you also don’t want to bother too much because you know he has a lot of things to do.

“I don’t have yachts, sumptuous villas and luxury cars, but he and Yolanda [Reina’s wife] have always offered me their sincere friendship, expecting nothing in return.

“When Vittoria [Bellini’s daughter] was born I received a text of congratulations from a German number I didn’t know. It was Pepe.

“From Germany he had remembered me and Vale and had sent us best wishes for the birth of our little sweetheart. A nice gesture.

“Tonight (now we can say as much as it’s in all the newspapers) will be your farewell party, and I’m a bit sad.

“I'm sad because we'll miss you, even though I've never been able to show you the affection I feel for you and your family.

“We’ll miss you when you enter the pitch and salute everyone with your big hands. We’ll miss your birthday parties which we all leave wasted.

“When we were in the dressing room in Turin after the win over Juve, and we were the last ones remaining, I wanted to tell you all these things but I didn’t want to ruin a magical moment by talking about your departure.

“Tonight, as I’ve said, there will be the farewell party. But I know that wherever you go and whatever you do, Naples will always be in your heart.”