Benitez: "The game against Lazio is very important"

The coach believes there are three essential points of the match tomorrow to secure third place in the league

12/04/2014sscnapoli.it/rafabenitez.com

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Rafa Benitez, coach of Napoli further emphasized their particular focus in the press conference the day before the match between his team against Lazio. The Madrid coach highlighted the positive season of Napoli and stressed the importance of maintaining third place and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

Mister, what kind of game is expected tomorrow?

"It's a tough game, luckily we will have our fans to support us, as they always do in the 'San Paolo'. Lazio wants to end their season well and qualify for the UEFA Europa League and I'm sure they will play at the highest level. We have to go out there with the right mindset to play the game on our terms".

Back to the 'San Paolo' a friend and a beloved coach, Edoardo Reja ...

"Reja is very good coach, he has extensive experience and always does a great job. He has completely changed the team and for this reason, Lazio are a very hard opponent. For us, I repeat it is very important to win this match to consolidate third place and to look ahead to other objectives".

The final balance of the season of Napoli could be a decisive victory in the final of the Coppa Italia?

"Maybe for the press and fans to be so, I want to emphasize that this view is entirely legitimate. For me, aside from the possibility of winning or losing the Italian Cup this season has been good - no doubt. We have created a project based on growth. We have earned the most points in the history of Napoli. Still, it is clear that we can improve and we have the will to do so in the future".

What and how you can enhance this Napoli side?

"I would point out that the value of the squad has already increased, the group has improved a lot since the beginning of the season. We have already built the base, now we need to continue to grow by adding some key pieces to make this project even more solid. The key to making a difference is not just the economic capacity of the club, we need to convert Napoli in to a team who attract the big players and also to keep what we already have with us. To achieve this, we need a winning mentality at all times".

Are you working in the market ahead of next season?

"There is much talk about the transfer market and the reality is that we still have six games to finish the season, plus the final of the Italian Cup. We have to play to the maximum; we still have time to improve as a squad. I repeat that all have improved a lot and that's very important. We'll talk after the market has opened. All I can say with certainty is that Pepe Reina will return to Liverpool and our idea is to do everything possible to secure his return to play for us".

Have you talked with Higuain after his last substitution?

"Higuain is fine, he is training very well. He knows that in the last game he was not one hundred percent when I decided to replace him, this is common to all players. Gonzalo is a born champion, a very important player for us and he knows he can make a difference in every game".

When will we see Zúñiga in the field?

"I spoke this morning with Camilo. He is training normally but still lacks pick up the pace of play. Tomorrow he will not be on the bench so he can continue his training".

Doing a quick overview, do you think that Napoli had to do more this year?

"You can always do more, both I and the team could have done better. I reviewed the game we played against Juventus, I think it is clear what we are capable of. However, the same team played and lost against Parma. This indicates a lack of maturity, but with a larger staff we can go even higher and better in regards to the character demonstrated in the field".

Have you felt any regret in being eliminated from the UEFA Europa League with Porto?

"In our match against Porto, we had three chances in the first half. Anyway, I do not get it and it seems a pointless exercise to think where we could be in Europe. What is clear is that we have learned from the experience and this will help us grow as a team".

There is much talk of Atletico Madrid as the surprise team of the year. Could it be a reference point for Napoli?

"We can also take the example of the time when I coached at Valencia. Yesterday we celebrated with a lot of Spanish coaches of the ten-year anniversary of winning the double with Valencia - when we won the League and the Europa League. To reach that level much hard work was needed for years. In Spain, as in England, ten or twenty years a team manages to break the hegemony that high-level clubs maintain in the competition. After Valencia, for ten years, Real Madrid and Barcelona have won all competitions. Now there is a possibility that Atletico Madrid may break this. But again, it takes years of work to go around to hierarchies based on large budgets".

Can Napoli achieve this in the future?

"During my career, I have always worked without the support of the great economic ability of other teams and despite this I managed to win titles. As an example, my time in Extremadura and Tenerife. To win I needed to make the right decisions, be positive and carry a balance to build a strong squad. We still need to improve on this team but I am sure that will come with time. We can get what we want if we continue in our current way".

Did you set a goal for the club for next year?

"The goal will always remain to be at a high level for many years and seek victory whenever possible. You can catch up with the club that has managed well the resources at our disposal. I did it with Valencia, also with Liverpool and I am convinced that you can achieve this with Napoli".