Former Napoli Manager Predicts Two Sides To Compete In Serie A Title Race As Other Italian Sides Are Far Less ‘Complete’

Former Napoli manager, Rafa Benitez, has identified Antonio Conte’s side and Inter Milan as clear favorites to win the Scudetto in his 2025/26 Serie A prediction.

What Did Rafa Benitez Say About Napoli In Serie A Prediction?

The iconic soccer manager held the reins in Naples between July 2013 and June 2015, managing 112 games – winning 61, drawing 26 and losing the other 25.

During this time, Benitez managed to win two pieces of silverware, picking up the Coppa Italia trophy in 2013/14 and the Supercoppa Italiana in the following season.

His time in Naples came to an end following a mutual agreement, as Benitez struggled to be away from his family for two-years and left on amicable terms.

Since then, Napoli have gone to achieve huge success and most recently picked up their fourth league title in club history, as Antonio Conte guided his side to the Scudetto – finishing top of the league by one point.

Many believe the current champions are favorites to retain the throne this season, although the club has taken a huge hit in recent days as Romelu Lukaku is set to miss an extended period of time following an injury in pre-season.

Despite this, Rafa Benitez believes Napoli are one of the favorites to win the title this season and predicts a two-way battle against another of his former sides, Inter Milan.

Benitez said: “What can we expect? Probably the usual Napoli-Inter clash. Right now, with two weeks to go until the transfer window closes, they seem like the more complete teams.

“Napoli have a slight advantage, based on what we know: because they won, which is fair; and because they still have (Antonio) Conte on the bench, which is bound to be a factor.”

Another huge bonus for Napoli has been the signing of Manchester City legend, Kevin De Bruyne, who joined the club as a free agent after his deal with the Cityzens came to an end.

The Belgian left England as one of the best midfielders in Premier League history and Benitez believes that Napoli have added a player that boasts a ‘rare intelligence’.

Benitez said: “We’re dealing with a midfielder of rare intelligence. He’s a man capable of making the difference. He has a commanding personality, and he’ll become the undisputed leader of a team that has never lacked character, inherited from a coach who knows how to win.”

Does Rafa Benitez Think Inter Can Win Scudetto?

As we have previously mentioned, Benitez has picked Napoli and Inter to battle it out for the league title this season, following a similar trend from last season.

Similarly, Paolo Di Canio also picked Napoli and Inter to compete for the league title in his Serie A prediction, with both sides sitting far ahead of the other 18 teams in Serie A.

Rafa Benitez also held the reins in Milan, albeit for a shorter amount of time, as Benitez took charge of 25 games from July 2010-December 2010.

During this short stint as Inter Milan manager, Benitez won his first trophy on Italian soil by clinching the Supercoppa Italiana, before taking a two-year break away from management.

Benitez has managed a plethora of teams since his time at the San Siro, most recently leaving Celta Vigo in March 2024 – but the veteran has kept an eye on the Nerazzurri and praised their structure ahead of the upcoming season.

The Spanish manager said: “Inter’s structure is strong, their attack has international consistency. And then they’ve targeted future deals, Ange-Yoan Bonny, for example, who, behind Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram, can only learn quickly.”