Benitez: Success at Napoli would be most rewarding

Rafael Benitez says success at Napoli would be the most rewarding of his career given the rise the club have made in recent seasons.

Napoli were relegated to the third tier of Italian football in 2004 due to bankruptcy issues but have worked their way back to Serie A, and finished second behind Juventus last season.

Under Benitez, they have made a strong start to this campaign and find themselves four points behind leaders Roma after 12 matches.

After heavy spending during the close-season many expect Napoli to challenge for the title, and Benitez admits success in Naples would be one of his biggest achievements.

“This would be more rewarding (than winning the Liga titles with Valencia in 2001-02 and 2003-04),” he told Marca.

“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 counter-attack, working for Edinson Cavani.

“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 onto the ball when it needs to have it or to play on the counter when it needs to.”

Napoli’s 3-0 defeat to Juventus was only their second of the season, and Benitez will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they face Parma after the international break.