Reina Claims Liverpool Have Nothing to Fear Against Real Madrid

Five visits to the Bernabéu Stadium have not yielded a victory for José Reina but the Liverpool goalkeeper is adamant his club's fine Champions League record under Rafael Benítez will continue at the expense of Real Madrid.

Liverpool visit for the first leg of their last-16 tie next Wednesday looking to embellish a Champions League sequence of one victory, one runners-up place and a semi-final appearance in four seasons under Benítez. Despite his own barren spell at the Bernabéu, with Barcelona and Villarreal, Reina feels Liverpool's recent record in Europe means they have nothing to fear against opponents who recorded the last of their nine European Cup triumphs in 2002 and whose season rests on this competition.

"Every player dreams about playing in the biggest games at the best grounds and this is certainly one of those," said the Madrid-born goalkeeper. "I think two draws is the best I have ever managed. It's similar to Anfield because it's a really tough place to get a result.

"That's always been the case. When my dad [the former Barcelona and Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Miguel] played against them in the 1960s and 70s it was the same story, so our job won't be easy but we know we can do it. I am confident we can go through."

Steven Gerrard, who has an outside chance of returning from a hamstring strain against Manchester City on Sunday, should be available next week for a tie with personal resonance for the former Real player and coach Benítez, the Atlético Madrid icon Fernando Torres and Reina himself.

"When I was a kid Barcelona was my team because my dad had played there," Reina added. "Now of course that is in the past and I am a Villarreal and Liverpool supporter. But it would be really special for me to eliminate them [Real] from the Champions League.

"They are one of the best clubs in the world and if we did go out against them there would be no shame in that. However, we will be doing our utmost to make sure that doesn't happen and I am confident we can reach the quarter-finals. The competition has been very good for us in recent times and we want that run to continue this season."

Liverpool will have Emiliano Insúa, a promising 19-year-old left-back, available against City on Sunday following the Argentinian's return from the Fifa Under-20 South American championships.