Napoli boss Rafa Benitez has insisted that his team are ‘thinking only of Chievo’ despite a brilliant opening to the season.
The Stadio San Paolo side defeated Bologna 3-0 last weekend in the Spaniard’s debut match for the Partenopei.
Napoli boss Rafa Benitez has insisted that his team are ‘thinking only of Chievo’ despite a brilliant opening to the season.
The Stadio San Paolo side defeated Bologna 3-0 last weekend in the Spaniard’s debut match for the Partenopei.
But the tactician has claimed that there thoughts are on the encounter with the Gialloblu.
“It will be difficult. Chievo is a hard team, difficult to win,” he told a Press conference.
“They are tactically very strong and are quick on the counter attack. We have to fight for victory. It will be a different situation to the debut last Sunday.
“With Bologna we worked very well, we played a good match, but now we have to be prepared to plunge into another challenge. We’ll go to Verona with the right mind-set. We’ll prove that we can win on the field and gain a victory based on work, concentration and order.
“Our philosophy is to be the team that dominates throughout the match. We are going to Verona with the healthy intention of seeking victory, gained through struggle and sacrifice.
“We will be respecting our opponent no matter what the outcome is as we respect them all. It will be important to demostrate strength and character
“We have the same expectations as our fans and we don't want to let down them. But we know about football. We all expect that Napoli will always play as well, as on the first day.
“My idea is to always show the game we've seen, but not all matches are the same. The Italian League is long, very long, and tomorrow's match is already a difficult challenge.
“What matters is having a winning mentality and to always play well. On the field is where we have to prove it.”
Benitez then commented on their Champions League group, which saw them drawn with Arsenal, Marseille and Borussia Dortmund.
“Our group is balanced with prestigious teams of lots of history within this competition. Borussia Dortmund was in the last final of the 'Champions League'. Everyone knows the value that experience gives. Arsenal have very strong players and a great coach.
“Olympique Marseille have a very noisy stadium and is one of the 'top' teams in France. It's a beautiful challenge for us. We have confidence in our staff and players. But you will understand that, for now, I will not talk more of Europe. We’re concentrating only on Chievo which is our current goal.”