Rafael Benitez says that the game against Rudi Garcia’s Roma can set Napoli’s season back on track.
The Azzurri followed up their resounding victory against Hellas Verona last weekend with a draw away to Atalanta in midweek.
They now head into the weekend knowing that victory at home to the Giallorossi tomorrow afternoon would reduce the gap to second place to four points.
“Yes tomorrow’s game is an opportunity to show our ambitions once again,” Benitez told media during his Press conference today.
Rafael Benitez says that the game against Rudi Garcia’s Roma can set Napoli’s season back on track.
The Azzurri followed up their resounding victory against Hellas Verona last weekend with a draw away to Atalanta in midweek.
They now head into the weekend knowing that victory at home to the Giallorossi tomorrow afternoon would reduce the gap to second place to four points.
“Yes tomorrow’s game is an opportunity to show our ambitions once again,” Benitez told media during his Press conference today.
“We have seen that every team can drop points so we are aware that if we win we can close the gap.
“Tactically, Roma are fast on the counter, they are aggressive in defence and when they have to win the ball back.
“They pass the ball well so it will also be down to our attitude, because if we can keep the ball they will try to break on the counter, otherwise it will be the other way round.”
Roma certainly provide a stern test for Napoli, but Benitez knows that his team has normally fared better against stronger sides.
“With the top teams we have always raised our level and this year it should be the same.
“While, because of the way we play, the situation is different against smaller teams.
“But we have seen both against Atalanta and Chievo that we managed to create many chances and we were controlling the game.”
Generally speaking, the Spanish Coach thinks that, despite the goals conceded, Napoli have showed defensive improvements along the way.
“My teams have always been good defensively while we are still making some mistakes that today we are paying for because even if we concede one or two shots on goal, then we either draw or lose the game.
“Last season opponents got to our area at least 10 times, this season only a couple of times. So we are committing mistakes but we don’t concede a lot.
“Milan for instance have conceded our same number of goals but nobody speaks about their defensive set-up, but about the fact that they score goals, and we also score goals.
“We must be confident because we can beat anyone. We have seen that everyone can fail, even Juventus have lost a game.
“But I am confident because of what I’ve seen, even in the second half of the game against Inter, who are our direct rivals.”
The points won in the last two games could have been six if Gonzalo Higuain had converted a penalty in stoppage time against Atalanta on Wednesday.
“Higuain is very sorry about the penalty but if he’s confident, then I don’t have any worries for the future.
“His anger should be channelled to play better and score even more goals.
“We talked about taking more penalties and if he is confident about taking them and he wants to try, to me it’s not a problem.”
Benitez also discussed rumours surrounding Juan Zuniga’s knee injury and future at the club.