De Laurentiis backs Benitez

Rafael Benitez has received the backing of Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis despite the club’s slow start to the new campaign.

Napoli finished third in Serie A last season and much is expected from them this term, although a return of just three wins from their opening six league matches is hardly the form of title contenders.

Defeats to Chievo and Udinese followed by a 3-3 draw with Palermo marked a largely miserable month for Benitez’s men in September, salvaged only by a narrow win at struggling Sassuolo.

Having also failed to progress past the play-off round in the UEFA Champions League, Benitez has come under pressure but De Laurentiis insists the Spaniard is the right man for the job.

“Benitez is doing a great job with a group that is growing every day without giving up anything until the last,” he wrote on his official Twitter page.

“I am also very happy with all the lads who are proving how much they care about the jersey by working with great professionalism.”

Despite back-to-back wins in the league Napoli remain eight points behind leaders Juventus after six games.