Dutch title-holders PSV Eindhoven have struggled in the Eredivisie and are without a win in three, including a 5-1 defeat to Ajax two weeks ago which allowed their great rivals to close the gap to just three points at the top of the table.

PSV will now switch their focus to Europe and the opening leg of their quarter-final clash with Liverpool at the Philips Stadion.

And Culina remains defiant. "We are looking forward to switching our attention to the Champions League and forgetting about the domestic situation for the moment. We are ready.

"It has been a long season. But then you expect to play a lot of games if you're a top team.

"Obviously we have injuries to two important players [defender Alex and striker Arouna Koné] but I think we have enough quality in the squad to cope."

Culina himself has only just recovered from abdominal muscle problems and a niggling groin injury which prevented him taking part in Australia's recent friendly against China.

"Liverpool are a great team and have many good players," he added. "But regardless of who is playing, we'll just have to deal with it.

"We also have plenty of people capable of doing the job. These are the quarter-finals. We know what we have to do and we fully intend to do it."

Culina's coach Ronald Koeman has urged his players to forget about their poor domestic form and enjoy their European adventure...and admits he will welcome the distraction from their domestic troubles.

"The problems we have in the Dutch competition are in the background for a few days," said the former Holland international.

"We have to be proud to be in this Champions League competition. Every sportsman wants to compete at the highest level."

Having beaten last season's finalists Arsenal in the last 16, the Eindhoven club are hoping to match the run which took them to the semi-finals in 2004/05 - the season Liverpool won the competition.

Liverpool boss Benitez refuses to be sidetracked from his task of plotting the Anfield club's passage into the semi-finals.

Benitez said: "Don't let anyone be fooled into thinking that PSV will not fight with everything they have got to get into the last four.

"We will not underestimate them. They beat Arsenal in the last round and they are top of their league.

"Whatever their supposed problems are with form or injuries, they will fight for this with everything they possess, have no fears about that.

"They will know how important the Champions League is and they will fight for everything, fight to win with all they have.

"They have some defensive problems, but you never know whether that can help you. Alex is an important player for them and they have some problems with (Ivory Coast striker Arouna) Kone too, but sometimes you can bring in players who do not usually play in the first team, and they do better than those they have replaced. That is also a danger."

The Anfield club are no strangers to PSV either, with the two teams having met at the group stages of this year's tournament.

Liverpool came away from the two matches with the better record, a win and a draw, and Koeman insists his players need no extra encouragement ahead of their latest meeting with Rafael Benitez's men.

"The motivation for the game against Liverpool is no problem." Koeman added.

"It will be a very difficult game because Liverpool are a great team. So I would be satisfied with a goalless draw, although 1-0 would be much better."

But Alex and Arouna Kone, both of whom have played in every Champions League fixture this season, are ruled out with knee problems.

And there is a question mark over the fitness of midfielder Ibrahim Afellay, who has a hamstring problem.

Koeman said: "We have some physical problems. It is a fact that we have to play three times a week.

"Ibrahim Afellay will have a scan this afternoon in the hospital. Depending on that result I'm going to take a decision if he can play or not. But that will be no earlier than tomorrow."

Alcides and John de Jong will also be absent for the hosts.

Benitez said: "We have had them watched recently, and we saw them when they lost 5-1 at home to Ajax recently. A shock. But they tried to play three men at the back, and they conceded goals.

"But normally they have great balance and do not concede many goals, and they score plenty. They will be trying to get back to that level of performance.

"They also have problems with their goalkeeper, but with strong defenders in front of whoever plays there, we know they will still be very difficult to beat."

He added: "PSV had people at Anfield to watch us, and they will have seen us score four against Arsenal, who they beat in the last Champions League round.

"But I do not think that will make much difference to their thinking. They know already that we are a good side and a dangerous team."