Chris Gunter is one of six under-21 players in the Wales squad
Welsh star Chris Gunter has warned new Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Roman Pavlyuchenko there'll be 'no pals act' when the pair clash in Russia.
The 19-year-old hasn't trained with his �14m Spurs colleague but will have a first-hand look at Pavlyuchenko when he marks the Russian striker in Moscow.
Gunter said: "He hasn't trained with Spurs yet so my first good look at Pavlyuchenko will be while marking him.
"But there'll be no friends, I'll do what I have to as Wales comes first."
The performance of Gunter and Spurs pal Gareth Bale for Wales in their 2010 World Cup Group Four opening 1-0 win against Azerbaijan in Cardiff were one of too few highlights for manager John Toshack.
If I have to let Pavlyuchenko know I'm there then so be it
Wales defender Chris Gunter
Injury-ravaged Wales were unconvincing against the Azeri and a similar inept performance at the Lokomotiv Stadium on Wednesday could end in red faces near Red Square.
Euro 2008 semi-finalists Russia are ranked 12th in the world and Guus Hiddink's men boast some of European football's most wanted players such as superstar strike-force Andrei Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko, Russia' three-foal top-scorer at Euro 2008.
Wales are without first-choice centre-backs Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and Lewin Nyatanga so Gunter will form part of Toshack's patched-up defence to stem the expected Russian onslaught in Moscow.
"If I have to let Pavlyuchenko know I'm there then so be it," Gunter told BBC Sport.
"It'll be a case of needs must in Moscow as we must do what we have to in order to get a result.
"I only met Pavlyuchenko briefly but he didn't have time to train so I'll get to know him a little better on Wednesday!
"He doesn't speak much English but when we're both back at Spurs I'm sure we'll have a laugh about the game.
"Russia are a very strong team and are normally excellent at home so it will be very tough for us because very few of our young squad would have played in such an intense environment.
"But I don't think the lads have anything to fear because we played Germany in their own back yard last year and did ourselves proud.
"We held them to 0-0 draw in Frankfurt and they went on to the Euro 2008 finals, so if we work hard and believe then there's no reason why we can't get a positive."
Wales' only games against Russia were in their two-legged Euro 2004 qualifying play-off.
Wales held the Russians to an impressive goalless draw in Moscow before blowing their big chance in front of their own fans at a packed Millennium Stadium four days later.
The Welsh never beat the former Soviet Union on their own turf either, losing 3-0 in Tbilisi in 1981 and 2-1 in Moscow in 1965.
Wales will be without front-line strikers Freddy Eastwood and captain Craig Bellamy in Moscow - as well as their defensive injury nightmares - but Gunter's club and country team-mate Bale is still buoyant.
Bale, 19, said: "It's is always going to be difficult against a top team like Russia - but we're going there to cause a shock.
"To some respect the pressure will be off us, except the pressure we put on ourselves, but if we work together as a team as we did in Germany last year then we have the ability to get a result.
"We're obviously going there with a win as our main objective and I think we're well equipped to do some damage.
"We won't get as much freedom as we did against Azerbaijan but we'll give it our best shot."
Bale suffered a groin niggle in Wales' win over Azerbaijan but expects to be fit for Wednesday's crunch qualifier.
Jason Koumas, however, admits he is "struggling" to be fit for Wednesday's showdown due to his ankle problem.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?