PEPE REINA reckons he can break his Bernabeu duck as Liverpool aim to take a huge step towards reaching the Champions League quarter-finals next week.

Rafael Benitez’s side travel to Real Madrid for the first leg of their first knockout stage on Wednesday, a venue where Reina has yet to win in five previous visits as a player with either Barcelona or Villarreal.

With his father having played for both of Real’s bitter rivals, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, Reina concedes there is extra incentive to ensure progress.

And while accepting Liverpool face a “really tough” job in overcoming a team that has won their last eight games, the goalkeeper is confident of a first-ever win at the Bernabeu.

“I have yet to win at the Bernabeu,” said Reina. “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 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.

“When I was a kid Barcelona was my team because my dad had played there. 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 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.”

Since arriving at Liverpool from Villarreal in the summer of 2005, Reina was runner-up in the Champions League in 2007 and reached the semi-final last season.

And he added: “The

competition has been very good for us in recent times and we want that run to continue this season.