Reina out to stop old Premier League foe Ronaldo
Milan - If Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina reproduces the kind of form that was key to Saturday's 2-1 win over Roma against Real Madrid in midweek, a Champions League upset could be on the cards.
But the former Barcelona and Liverpool shot-stopper would be forgiven for also hoping Cristiano Ronaldo forgets his shooting boots Tuesday when Napoli bids to overturn a 3-1 first leg, last 16 defeat against the 11-time European champion.
At the Santiago Bernabeu last month, Reina and Ronaldo met for the first time since the 2008-09 season, when they both played Premier League football.
In England, they met a total of six times and, with three victories, a draw and two defeats while playing for Manchester United, Portugal's four-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo comes out on top.
Ahead of Tuesday's clash at what Reina hopes will be a "red-hot" San Paolo, the odds, and statistics, are firmly stacked against Maurizio Sarri's host side.
If Napoli is to go through on away goals, it will have to do what no team has managed since Wolfsburg beat Madrid in the quarter-finals nearly a year and 46 games ago - keep a clean sheet against Los Blancos.
As Napoli looks to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, Madrid is poised to reach its seventh in succession.
Yet even in defeat last time out, Reina was defiant in their chances, saying post-match: "We have to believe in the comeback, because we can beat Madrid 2-0 at home.
"A goal away from home is very important. We have nothing to lose. Real were and are the favourites, but they can expect a red hot reception at the San Paolo."
Quantifying past meetings between Reina and Ronaldo is a difficult task: although United came out on top, Ronaldo has now only beaten Reina twice in seven encounters, once from the spot.
But Reina's familiarity with the Portuguese star will be welcome. Even when he didn't play against Ronaldo, he offered advice to others on how to stop his "spear-like" shots in dead ball situations.
"You have to be careful, and watch them all the way because you don't know until the last moment where the ball is going to go," Reina advised then Barcelona 'keeper Victor Valdes prior to the Champions League final against United in 2009.
"Ronaldo's free-kicks are like a spear."