Benitez hopeful ahead of Supercoppa

Rafael Benitez does not expect the gap in Serie A between Juventus and Napoli to play a part in Monday’s Supercoppa Italiana.

The Serie A champions and Coppa Italia holders meet in Doha for what will be their final outing before the mid-season break.

While the sides have yet to meet in the Italian top flight this term, Juve sit 12 points clear of third-placed Napoli at the top and have lost just once in the league this season. 

Napoli have flattered to deceive of late – winning just one of their last five league matches – but Benitez feels his players will be fired up to end 2014 on a high. 

“[Monday is] an important game for us, for the club and for all the fans – we want to win it,” he told a news conference on Sunday.

“Juve are ahead in the championship but what counts is the will to win, the mentality and the intensity.

“We are focused only on this match, we respect our opponents but we know our strengths and we want to win.

“The stadium will be full but the players know in the hearts and their heads what they want our fans who will not be here.

“In a final there’s no need to fire players up because the game itself is the motivation.”

Napoli won their last meeting with Juve – a 2-0 victory in Serie A at the Stadio San Paolo with Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens each on target in March. 

Their only Supercoppa Italiana win came in 1990.