Rafa Benitez reveals why he chose Napoli, the importance of “balance” and what will make him most proud at the club.
The Coach spoke to French magazine So Foot and reiterated his belief that a title is practically impossible without revenue.
“The only statistic that makes the difference in football is money. The more money you have, usually, the better players you have.
Rafa Benitez reveals why he chose Napoli, the importance of “balance” and what will make him most proud at the club.
The Coach spoke to French magazine So Foot and reiterated his belief that a title is practically impossible without revenue.
“The only statistic that makes the difference in football is money. The more money you have, usually, the better players you have.
“Top players combine pace with intensity and that allows some men to decide games or help their teams win. There are few players like this, so consequently they are expensive.”
Having won the Italian Super Cup in extra time against Juventus last week, Benitez consolidated his reputation as a Coach for Cup competitions.
“In one-off knockout games there is a great deal of tension, so the players are concentrated and motivated. At those moments the players ask for advice and that is when I can make the difference.
“The winning recipe for a League title, however, is consistency. It also depends on the squad at your disposal and their motivation: talent makes the difference, but motivation makes you work.
“The ‘Benitez style’ is above all balance. If my teams score many goals and concede many too, then I am not satisfied. I am not happy to just score one more than my opponents, nor if we defend well and score on our only chance of the game.
“I want my team to score goals, but also to not get surprised at the back. What interests me is pressing, counter-attacking and possession. I often hear that my teams are defensive. That’s not true. They are balanced, which is different.
“If Napoli improve in defence and maintain our capacity to score goals, then we’ll gain in terms of balance. It is balance that wins you trophies.”
Benitez has won silverware in Spain and England, but has discovered some new problems in Italy.
“Everyone wants to win the Scudetto, but in Italy if you win a series of games then you’re the favourites, then the moment you make one miss-step people eliminate you from the running.
“I am here so that Napoli can make life difficult for others and make themselves respected by the biggest clubs in Italy. We are on the right track to achieve that aim.
“We changed the way Napoli work: physically, tactically and technically. We have made players less tense, less irritable, so that they can give their best.
“The team has a more international profile and players have a much higher market value than when we arrived. We also modified the infrastructure of the club: offices, gyms, meeting rooms, lunch rooms and the rest area where now there are a television and Playstation. We are setting up a specific area for the goalkeepers to train.
“The day I leave Napoli, I will be satisfied to leave my successor a better training ground than the one I found when I arrived.”