Anderlecht no walkover for Reina

Unenviable record
The Belgium champions, who prop up Group G four points behind the Anfield side, are looking to avoid their tenth straight group stage defeat in Europe's premier competition. But despite Anderlecht's uneviable record, Reds goalkeeper Reina is expecting Frank Vercauteren's team to push Rafael Benítez's reigning European Champion Clubs' Cup holders to the limit.

Belgian style
"I don't agree when people say that Anderlecht are an easy team to beat, because nobody in the Champions League is easy," Reina told uefa.com. "If Anderlecht are here, it's because they have something that makes them a good team. When Liverpool won it last year we weren't favourites so we can't underestimate anyone. All Belgian teams are difficult to play against, not just because they are technically sound or because they have big name players, but because they are noted for having a very strong mentality.

Hard battle
"Even though we won in Spain against [Real] Betis [Balompié] it's not going to be easy in Belgium," Reina added. "When Betis played away against Anderlecht they had to fight exceptionally hard to win all three points. They came up against a very compact Anderlecht side with an outstanding goalkeeper."

Spanish experience
Spanish international Reina was among the substitutes when his country beat Belgium 2-0 in Brussels ten days ago in a FIFA World Cup qualifying game. However, the 23-year-old shot-stopper does not think his experience of that match will give Liverpool an advantage against Anderlecht.

Different game
He said: "Even though I have had recent experience of playing against Belgium, I don't see it as a bonus for us. International football and club football are very different and any player can surprise you on the day. We just have to play our own game and no matter how we do it, we have to get a victory."

Pressure match
Reina's determination to secure all three points at the Constant Vanden Stock stadium is motivated by a desire to tie up qualification for the knockout stages before Matchday 6 and Liverpool's second duel with Chelsea FC. Although Reina is confident the Merseyside club can beat their English counterparts, he would prefer to avoid a winner-takes-all game against a side that beat them 4-1 in the Premiership two weeks ago.

Painful defeat
"It's the desire of everyone at Liverpool to wrap up qualification before we play Chelsea again," he said. "But if we don't it won't be disastrous. If we want to retain our title and be champions again we can't allow ourselves to be afraid of any other club. The league defeat by Chelsea hurt us because it was a special match we wanted to win, but it hasn't affected our confidence of playing them later in the group. We just have to wait for the next time and be as confident as we can to beat them."