PEPE REINA believes Liverpool must aim for the final group victory that could make life easier in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Rafael Benitez’s side secured qualification to the last 16 with a game to spare after a narrow 1-0 win over Marseille on Wednesday night.
However, the Anfield outfit still trail Group D leaders Atletico Madrid on goal difference after the Spaniards defeated PSV Eindhoven 2-1.
Liverpool journey to Holland while Atletico travel to southern France on Tuesday week for the final round of group games.
Finishing ahead of Atletico would mean Benitez’s side avoid the other seven group winners in first knockout round and play the second leg at Anfield.
And Reina said: “First place in the group is important. Not so much because you avoid the better teams but because the second leg is at home and that is important.
“You want to play in front of your own supporters in the second leg but any team you face then is going to be tough.”
Liverpool were far from convincing in seeing off Marseille, with Reina required to make a fine save from Hatem Ben Arfa to ensure his first clean sheet of the group stage.
“We are still winning, we are still a tough team to beat,” said the goalkeeper.
“We have not been great lately but we are still top of the league and going well in the Champions League.
“Let us see if we can improve a little bit more and keep winning. It is a sign of a good team that you win when you are not playing at your best.
“I think the match in Marseille was a good one and we played really well at home against PSV Eindhoven.
“The games against Atletico Madrid were sort of all right and we didn’t play at our best on Wednesday but we are through and that is all that counts.”
Steven Gerrard returned from injury to net the only goal on Wednesday to join Barcelona’s Argentinian play-maker Lionel Messi as leading goalscorer in this season’s Champions League.
And Reina added: “We are very confident with him in our side – you must be.
“It is important that he keeps in the team and keeps scoring.
“When he is on the pitch you have a chance, a better chance of winning but we are Liverpool and if we depend on only one player there is something wrong.
“He is a great players but there are 10 others who are prepared to kill themselves for the team.
“But when he doesn’t play, I don’t worry that much because we still have some other good players.”
Rafael Benitez’s side secured qualification to the last 16 with a game to spare after a narrow 1-0 win over Marseille on Wednesday night.
However, the Anfield outfit still trail Group D leaders Atletico Madrid on goal difference after the Spaniards defeated PSV Eindhoven 2-1.
Liverpool journey to Holland while Atletico travel to southern France on Tuesday week for the final round of group games.
Finishing ahead of Atletico would mean Benitez’s side avoid the other seven group winners in first knockout round and play the second leg at Anfield.
And Reina said: “First place in the group is important. Not so much because you avoid the better teams but because the second leg is at home and that is important.
“You want to play in front of your own supporters in the second leg but any team you face then is going to be tough.”
Liverpool were far from convincing in seeing off Marseille, with Reina required to make a fine save from Hatem Ben Arfa to ensure his first clean sheet of the group stage.
“We are still winning, we are still a tough team to beat,” said the goalkeeper.
“We have not been great lately but we are still top of the league and going well in the Champions League.
“Let us see if we can improve a little bit more and keep winning. It is a sign of a good team that you win when you are not playing at your best.
“I think the match in Marseille was a good one and we played really well at home against PSV Eindhoven.
“The games against Atletico Madrid were sort of all right and we didn’t play at our best on Wednesday but we are through and that is all that counts.”
Steven Gerrard returned from injury to net the only goal on Wednesday to join Barcelona’s Argentinian play-maker Lionel Messi as leading goalscorer in this season’s Champions League.
And Reina added: “We are very confident with him in our side – you must be.
“It is important that he keeps in the team and keeps scoring.
“When he is on the pitch you have a chance, a better chance of winning but we are Liverpool and if we depend on only one player there is something wrong.
“He is a great players but there are 10 others who are prepared to kill themselves for the team.
“But when he doesn’t play, I don’t worry that much because we still have some other good players.”
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