Rafa Benitez told Spanish newspaper Marca “it would be more rewarding” to win at Napoli than anywhere else.
The Coach has won trophies in Spain and England, so is now eager to add Italy to his impressive CV. Marca asked if winning a title at Napoli would be as good as with Valencia?
Rafa Benitez told Spanish newspaper Marca “it would be more rewarding” to win at Napoli than anywhere else.
The Coach has won trophies in Spain and England, so is now eager to add Italy to his impressive CV. Marca asked if winning a title at Napoli would be as good as with Valencia?
“No, this would be more rewarding. Valencia was already a club with a defined structure. There's still a way to go at Napoli.
“Previously, Napoli based its football on the counterattack, working for Edinson Cavani. That was totally clear. And in the Napoli we have begun to build there is a lot of possession. But possession is not an objective in itself, it´s a way of understanding football.
“You have to build a team that is able to hold on to the ball when it needs to have it or to play on the counter when it needs to.
“Of course it is possible to play great football without possession. I remember when I was in Spain, that Juan Manuel Gozalo said how great a cross and a good header into the back of the net was. Or how brilliant a sliding tackle was, when you hit the floor to intercept the ball.”
Napoli are still most famous for Diego Armando Maradona, so has Gonzalo Higuain taken over that role?
“There isn't a Maradona. He was far above the rest,” noted Benitez.
“Our team is based on the collective, although there is Higuain who could be the most essential player here right now. He doesn't only score goals; he also makes the team play better.”