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The striker says he hopes to emulate head coach Filippo Inzaghi and former greats Marco van Basten and George Weah after moving to San Siro
Fernando Torres hopes to "define an era" at AC Milan by emulating former greats George Weah, Marco van Basten and head coach Filippo Inzaghi.
The Spaniard completed a two-year loan deal from Chelsea on Sunday, a move that seemingly brings to an end his troubled three-and-a-half-year stint at Stamford Bridge.
Despite winning the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup in his time in London, Torres scored just 20 Premier League goals in 110 appearances for Chelsea - a far cry from his prolific days at both Liverpool and Atletico Madrid.
Torres arrives at San Siro as a replacement for Mario Balotelli, who was sold to Liverpool last month, and the 30-year-old hopes he can live up to the achievements of some of the famous forwards who have gone before him.
"Every player is different, but Van Basten, Weah and Inzaghi defined an era," he said in a press conference on Tuesday.
"I want to achieve the same results as them. I am different from those players, but maybe in a few years' time, they'll have my No.9 in the museum.
"I want to take advantage of this opportunity. It is a challenge that I needed. I'm really happy to be here.
"I can't wait to get started. I played in La Liga, the Premier League and now I am playing in my third important European league.
"I want to score the goals that can take this club back up with the best around.
"In Europe, historically, there has been three big leagues - England, Spain and Italy. There are times when one gets the better of another, but they are all important.
"I know many former team-mates who have played for Milan, and they all say how great it is here."
The Dutchman initially wanted to fight for his place at the Premier League giants, but agreed to a temporary move to Serie A in the end
AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has that revealed Marco van Ginkel initially wanted to stay at Chelsea before eventually accepting a loan move to the Serie A outfit.
The Dutchman was keen to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge, but agreed to a temporary transfer after speaking with Nigel de Jong and Fernando Torres.
"Van Ginkel initially resisted our advances. At a certain point we set him an ultimatum, but then I realised he wouldn't join us like that and I told him that I was joking," Galliani told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"It was not that he did not want to join Milan, but he is a huge talent and he thought that he could become a starter at Chelsea.
"However, Jose Mourinho, who is a great coach, thought that playing for Milan after eight months on the sidelines due to injury would be best for him.
"We convinced him by using two players: De Jong spoke to him and then Fernando Torres as well. Eventually, he agreed to a move."
The 21-year-old could make his official Milan debut in the Serie A match against Parma on September 14 after the international break is over.
Mourinho: I wanted Torres to join Inter - not AC Milan
Sep 4, 2014 14:02:21
The Portuguese coach says that he remains a Nerazzurri fan and was, therefore, hoping that the Spain international would link up with his former club
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed that he would have preferred if Fernando Torres had joined Inter rather than AC Milan.
The Spain international joined the Rossoneri on a two-year loan deal from the Blues just before the close of the summer transfer window.
However, Mourinho has explained that even though the striker failed to nail down a regular starting berth during their time together at Stamford Bridge, he holds the 30-year-old in the highest esteem and, therefore, would have loved to have seen him join Milan's city rivals.
"I'm an Interista and I would have preferred if he'd gone to Inter," the Portuguese stated at a Uefa coaching seminar in Nyon. "However, I hope that he does equally well at Milan.
"What I can say about Fernando is that as a person and a professional, there is nothing to doubt about him.
"He's a fantastic boy and a great professional. However, he needed a change of scenery."
Torres joined Chelsea for €63 million in January 2011 but never managed to justify his transfer fee, netting just 20 goals in 110 Premier League games for the Blues.
Milan are today being linked with a move in January or next summer for Liverpool’s young winger Jesus Fernandez Saez, Suso.
Sep 4 2014 FootballItalia
Suso (PA Sport)
Tuttosport report that Suso does not intend to renew his contract with the Reds, which currently expires at the end of this season.
It is reported that the Rossoneri are leading the chase for his signature and even had a request to sign him this summer, as part of talks for Mario Balotelli, turned down.
Milan are now reportedly considering two options in their bid to pick up the Spain Under-21 international - either to pay a low amount to sign him in January, or negotiate a Bosman move to pick him up in June 2015.
The Partenopei have silenced suggestions that the coach has fallen out with the club's president and insisted his absence is simply a holiday
Napoli have slammed "ridiculous" rumours that Rafael Benitez has gone AWOL over a fall-out with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Benitez attended Uefa's elite club coaches forum in Nyon during the week before heading for a visit to Liverpool, where he previously managed and some of his family still live.
It had suggested in Italian outlets that Benitez's trip to England was further proof of his strained relationship with Napoli's president following his side's Champions League play-off exit to Athletic Bilbao last week, but the Serie A club have insisted that the pair's relationship is "excellent".
"Reports today in some newspapers that Benitez taking a few days off is another sign that the relationship with De Laurentiis has 'cracked' is not only false but ridiculous," Napoli said in a statement.
"The relationship between the coach and the president of Napoli is excellent as they themselves have repeatedly stressed.
"As already announced, Rafa Benitez took a few days off, after being in Nyon for the regular meeting between the coaches of the most important teams in Europe, to be reunited with his family in Liverpool.
"In addition the team, in the next five days, will rest three times. Benitez will return to Naples on Wednesday to resume the coordination of training on Thursday to coincide with the return of many absent national players, four days before the match with Chievo."
Napoli, who won last season's Coppa Italia, started the new Serie A campaign with a last-gasp 2-1 win at Genoa last week and resume their season at home to Chievo on September 14.
The Juventus icon believes that he is swiftly becoming the best midfielder in football and says it will be a "miracle" if the Scudetto holders continue to keep hold of him
Paul Pogba is a "pure diamond" of a player and is built in the mould of Juventus and France legend Zinedine Zidane, according to Alessio Tacchinardi.
The 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength in Turin since his free transfer from Manchester United two years ago, winning back-to-back Scudetti under Antonio Conte's tutelage.
Tacchinardi, who won 17 trophies during his time at Juventus, believes he is one of the few players of the planet who can make the difficult look infinitely easy and suggested that "the age of Pogba" will dawn in the coming seasons.
"Pogba is a pure diamond," he told Corriere dello Sport. "He has grown up to become a devastating player. Ever since his first Juve game, I thought he was an extraordinary player.
"He has the ability to make the very complex appear so simple, dissolving tricky situations. Before watching Pogba, I had only observed four people with whom I had played like that: Juan Roman Riquelme at Villarreal, Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero at Juventus, and Francesco Totti for Italy.
"There are some midfielders who define an era. This will be the age of Pogba, he is the prototype central midfielder that any coach would want as he can play offensively or defensively."
Tacchinardi also ridiculed how Manchester United could let a player of such obvious talent leave, after the player fell out with the club over a lack of playing time and what he saw as being undervalued.
"It's absurd," he added. "Certain talents are just innate. Congratulations to Juve chief Giuseppe Marotta who bagged him on a free transfer.
"He would have exploded anywhere but the environment at Juve certainly helped."
Juventus were forced to fend off numerous suitors to hold on to him over the past few months, if reports are to be believed, and Tacchinardi confessed he was stunned that new coach Massimiliano Allegri kept hold of the Frenchman.
"Keeping him this summer was a miracle," the former defensive midfielder added. "But keeping him for a long time would be an even bigger miracle.
"Juventus are perfect for him, but some clubs in Europe can offer absurd wages. I think someone like Paul Pogba is worth at least €80 million, but whoever signs him has their midfield sorted for a decade or more."
Poisonous Benatia was sold for being a liar, blasts Roma chief
Sep 8, 2014 21:22:01
The defender left the Stadio Olimpico for Bayern Munich late in the summer and the club's president has spoken out against the Moroccan for his recent comments
Roma president James Pallotta has slammed “poisonous” Mehdi Benatia, accusing him of lying about wanting to remain with the Serie A club.
Benatia completed his switch from Roma to Bayern Munich for a reported €26 million last month as the Bundesliga champions sought defensive cover following Javi Martinez's season-long injury.
The Morocco international said on Monday that Real Madrid and Barcelona also wanted to sign him but that his preference was to stay at Roma, who he claims wanted to cash in on him.
However, Pallotta has furiously hit back at those claims with a scathing criticism of the player's behaviour and suggests Benatia was trying to secretly back out of say a verbal contract agreement.
"Mehdi Benatia has obviously continued with his pattern of outright lies over the last couple of months," the Roma chief said in a statement released on the Giallorossi's official website.
"We had a verbal agreement on compensation and a raise back in July in Boston. He personally said to me that he was happy after I told him flat out with no exceptions that we wanted him to stay.
"Over the following month he lied about wanting to stay and about the details of his compensation to both Rudi Garcia and his team-mates.
"Lying to me was one thing which I can somewhat handle. Lying to Rudi Garcia and his team-mates was completely unacceptable to me.
"I told [sporting director] Walter Sabatini he was becoming poisonous and I wanted him gone, and Rudi and Walter agreed.
"It wasn't about the money; it was about having character in our locker room. We are in a very sound financial position.
"As owners of Roma, we make difficult decisions all the time. As a fan of Roma, I am deeply disappointed that one of our players could act this way."
Benatia had only spent one season with Roma, having joined from Udinese for €13.5m in 2013.
The current Napoli boss was offered the chance to take over the Santiago Bernabeu side on two separate occasions but opted to remain at Anfield
Rafael Benitez twice rejected the opportunity to coach Real Madrid during his time with Liverpool, the Spaniard's agent Manuel Garcia Quilon has claimed.
Benitez spent six seasons at Anfield, winning the Champions League, Super Cup, FA Cup and Community Shield during his time on Merseyside.
The 54-year-old's achievements at Liverpool did not go unnoticed, with his agent revealing the former Valencia boss was highly sought-after by Madrid president Florentino Perez, whose attempts to lure Benitez back to La Liga proved unsuccessful.
"Rafa was for two consecutive years given the chance to become coach of Real Madrid," Quilon told calcionapoli24.
"We received a very interesting proposal from the Blancos five years ago and the year before that.
"In order to convince him to accept the offer, Florentino Perez flew out in person with a private jet to England.
"He tried, without success, to convince Rafa's wife Montse to follow her husband in this new adventure.
"However, as Rafa had just renewed his contract with Liverpool and is a man of his word, he turned down the offer from his beloved Real Madrid despite the fact it was the best economic and sporting proposal he'd ever received."
Benitez also coached Inter and Chelsea before eventually joining Napoli in 2013.
The Chilean has been sent back to Turin ahead of his country's friendly with Haiti but the midfielder insists that there is no cause for concern
Juventus star Arturo Vidal has dismissed fears that he has aggravated the knee problem that almost ruled him out of the World Cup.
The Chile international was forced to undergo surgery last May but returned in time to play a key role in Chile's run to the last 16 of Brazil 2014.
However, after being carefully managed by Juventus during pre-season, Vidal appeared to suffer a setback last week when he was seen holding an icepack over his knee during a training session ahead of his country's friendly with Mexico.
Vidal ultimately played all 90 minutes of the 0-0 draw with El Tri but Chile then confirmed that the 27-year-old would play no part in the September 10 clash with Haiti and was being sent back to Turin, much to the concern of Juve.
However, the midfielder told Tuttosport: "The ice that I used the other day was a normal thing. I only need time to get back to 100 per cent.
"Rest assured, my knee is okay. I am ready to return to Turin.
"Even with Mexico, I showed that I can play every game this season with Juventus. I feel great.
"I'll have to be at one hundred percent, but I've proved that I can play a full game without any problems."
Vidal played 85 minutes of Juve's season-opening win over Chievo but it now remains to be see if he will be available to coach Massimiliano Allegri for his club's second Serie A outing, against Udinese on Saturday.
The Bianconeri midfielder has not suffered another knee injury and appears set for a short stint on the sidelines
Juventus received welcome news on Wednesday when it was revealed key midfielder Arturo Vidal 's latest injury appears to be relatively minor.
The Chile international underwent knee surgery at the end of last season and, although he played at the World Cup, he struggled for fitness as his country exited at the last-16 stage to host nation Brazil.
Hopes of a trouble-free start to the 2014-15 campaign were swiftly dashed when he sustained an injury prior to the friendly against Mexico on Saturday. He played the full 90 minutes against El Tri but was then released from the squad and sent back to Turin prior to the midweek game against Haiti.
He insisted on Tuesday the setback was not a recurrence of the knee injury and that was confirmed by Juve 24 hours later.
A club statement read: "After sitting out yesterday’s training in Vinovo, Arturo Vidal today underwent medical tests which revealed a light strain of the semitendinosus muscle in his right thigh.
"The 27-year-old has immediately begun his rehabilitation programme and further examinations to monitor his progress are scheduled for next week."
Vidal played 85 minutes of Juve's season-opening win over Chievo but it now remains to be see if he will be available to coach Massimiliano Allegri for his club's second Serie A outing, against Udinese on Saturday.
AC Milan duo Fernando Torres and Philippe Mexes both make the top 10, actually making more money per year than Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo
Daniel De Rossi remains the highest-paid player in Serie A, just ahead of Argentine duo Gonzalo Higuain and Carlos Tevez.
Roma made De Rossi the biggest earner in Italy in 2012 when they offered him a contract extension worth €6.5 million after tax to stave off interest from a number of Premier League suitors, and the midfielder remains in top spot two years on.
Napoli managed to lure Higuain away from Real Madrid last summer with the promise of €5.5m per year, a cool million more than his compatriot and fellow forward Tevez, who also arrived in Italy 12 months ago, joining Juventus from Manchester City.
Mario Gomez will be hoping to justify his salary of €4.25m after injury-plagued first season at Fiorentina, while the highest new entry, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport's figures, is Fernando Torres, who moved to AC Milan on a two-year loan from Chelsea just before the close of the transfer window on August 31.
The Spain striker, who flopped at Stamford Bridge, will earn €4m per season, which is the same take-home pay as his Rossoneri team-mate Philippe Mexes, whom the Rossoneri were unsurprisingly hoping to remove from their wage bill this summer, and Juventus pair Gianluigi Buffon and Arturo Vidal.
Elsewhere, Andrea Pirlo nets €3.8m from the Bianconeri, which is just 300,000 more than team-mates Fernando Llorente, Claudio Marchiso, Giorgio Chiellini, AC Milan midfielder Riccardo Montolivo and, rather staggeringly, Marco Borriello, who will once again receive €3.5m for the final year of his contract with Roma
Ancelotti: Lopez left Real Madrid to find stability
Sep 10, 2014 17:08:50
The Italian has backed the "quality" goalkeeper to succeed at AC Milan and insists the summer's transfer dealings were all conducted with his blessing
Diego Lopez left Real Madrid in order to find greater "stability" as a player, according to coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Lopez joined AC Milan during the summer after slipping back down the pecking order in the Spanish capital, with Iker Casillas and new signing Keylor Navas the favoured options competing for the No.1 spot.
Ancelotti has backed the 32-year-old to become a success in Serie A after admitting he feels the player wanted a more consistent playing situation than he had been afforded at Santiago Bernabeu.
“In Madrid he was competing for a place with Casillas; he has decided to take on a new challenge, a different style of football in a different league," Ancelotti told Il Giornale.
"He’s a quality keeper, hard-working and dedicated. He wanted more stability which is why he left Madrid."
Madrid have struggled to find their best form since the upheaval of their squad in the summer, which saw Lopez, Alvaro Morata, Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso all leave the club as James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos joined Navas in signing for the European champions.
Ancelotti, however, maintains that president Florentino Perez was telling the truth when he said the former Paris Saint-Germain boss was consulted over every deal.
“That’s right. All of the decisions have been made in accordance with the coach," said Ancelotti.
“I’m curious to see how he [Morata] gets on in Italy. I know him well and he needs to play regularly because he is still young."
Madrid have been dealt further blows by injuries suffered by Dani Carvajal and Sami Khedira during the international break and Ancelotti concedes he is weary of seeing players return to club duty with problems.
“We’re not having much luck with the national teams, it’s been the same story from last year until now," he added.
The former midfielder has called for "long-lasting solutions" to the issue as Uefa announces a new scheme to bring minorities into management
Former AC Milan boss Clarence Seedorf admits he is "sad" at the lack of black coaches currently working in football.
Uefa has announced a new 'Captains of Change' programme aimed at developing ethnic diversity within management positions in the game, with former France and Real Madrid midfielder Christian Karembeu appointed as ambassador.
The announcement will likely come as welcome news for Seedorf, who claims there is a need for a "long-term solution" to the issue of the number of minorities in the dugout.
“It is sad to see there are so few black coaches. Of the now retired players of colour, how many of them became coaches?" he told La Gazzetta dello Sport at the Respect Diversity event in Rome.
“It’s true that we shouldn’t only see the colour of someone’s skin, but this is an aspect too. Many colleagues opened the door towards drastic solutions, but there is no long-lasting solution yet.”
Uefa president Michel Platini said of the Captains of Change programme: "I believe we are a diverse sport on the field, but more work must be done to ensure that extends into our administrative and management structures as well.
Seedorf has also encouraged the adoption of teams shaking hands and offering post-game applause to opponents in order to foster stronger psychological and sporting mentalities within football.
“Fiorentina had started doing it, then I don’t know why the idea stopped," he said. "I think it ought to be obligatory, like in rugby, as it changes a lot in terms of psychological approach to the game too."
“With a different protocol we’d all have to accept defeat. In three minutes you have to be there shaking hands with your opponent, because the game is over.
“It would be a cultural evolution and an education for those watching us.”
The Argentine has dismissed reports in the Italian press suggesting that he is unavailable to face Udinese
Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has revealed that rumours claiming he is unfit to face Udinese on Saturday are untrue.
Reports in Italian media claimed that coach Massimiliano Allegri would be without his star striker in his first home match in charge of the Scudetto holders after the Argentine limped out of training on Wednesday.
However, Tevez - whose international exile continued this month when new Argentina coach Gerardo Martino left the forward out of his first squad - has dismissed suggestions Juve will have to fend without him this weekend as he has avoided picking up a knock.
"Thanks to those of you who expressed your concern, but I am not injured," the 30-year-old wrote on his official Twitter account. "I'm preparing myself to play on Saturday."
Tevez scored 21 times for Juventus last season, forging a great partnership with fellow striker Fernando Llorente, who himself bagged 18 goals.
Allegri's men will be aiming to add to their opening day 1-0 win over Chievo against an Udinese side who also triumphed in their first clash of 2014-15.
Serie A Preview: Zaza looks to maintain early form, Juve host Udinese
11 September 2014
Simone Zaza will be looking to build on an impressive start to his Italy career when Sassuolo take on Inter this weekend.
The striker was one of the standout performers as Antonio Conte's men picked up victories in a friendly against Netherlands followed by their opening Euro 2016 qualifier in Norway.
A goal in the second of those fixtures will have done Zaza's chances of retaining a place in the national set-up the world of good, but his domestic form could prove just as important to that end.
The 23-year-old found the net in the season-opening 1-1 draw with Cagliari to initially catch Conte's eye, and his goals will undoubtedly prove crucial as Sassuolo bid to preserve their top-flight status.
Along with Juventus loanee Domenico Berardi, who netted 16 league goals last term, Zaza forms part of a Sassuolo attacking line that is likely to cause problems for some, but Inter will be keen to get a first win under their belt at San Siro on Saturday.
Walter Mazzarri's men were held to a goalless draw at Torino in their first match of the season - a fixture Nemanja Vidic will want to forget after conceding a penalty and receiving a late red card.
The dismissal rules the Serbian out for this weekend.
Defending champions Juventus welcome Udinese to Turin in a clash between two sides who started their season with maximum points.
Centre-back Giorgio Chiellini looks set to miss out for the hosts after a calf injury caused something of a club-versus-country row with Italy last week, while Arturo Vidal looks set to feature after playing down fears over the recurrence of a knee injury.
Things have been far from rosy at Napoli so far this season, with lingering reports of a rift between coach Rafael Benitez and president Aurelio De Laurentiis threatening to blight their start to the season.
However, the Stadio San Paolo outfit started with a 2-1 win at Genoa and will be confident of a repeat performance at home to Chievo.
Marco van Ginkel - on loan from Chelsea - could be among the debutants as Milan travel to Parma on Sunday, while Micah Richards will be one of those looking to make a first appearance for Fiorentina after making a temporary switch from Manchester City. The Florence club are at home to Genoa.
Roma have been bolstered by the arrivals of Jose Holebas and Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa since their 2-0 win over Fiorentina, and could hand the duo debuts at Empoli.
Elsewhere, Sampdoria host Torino, Atalanta visit Cagliari and Lazio are at home against Cesena.
Verona and Palermo round of the second round of fixtures at Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, in a match which could see Javier Saviola make his debut for the hosts.
Serie A Review: Juventus and Roma win ahead of Champions League action
13 September 2014
Juventus overcame a trio of key absentees to beat Udinese 2-0 in Massimiliano Allegri's first competitive home game at the helm.
Operating without Andrea Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini and Arturo Vidal, Juventus claimed an eighth-minute lead as Carlo Tevez swept home a cutback from Stephan Lichtsteiner.
The champions' defence, featuring Patrice Evra at left-back for the first-time, quelled in-form veteran Antonio Di Natale and breathed a sigh of relief when Igor Bubnjic's close-range strike was ruled out for offside midway through the second period.
It was left to Claudio Marchisio to seal the points with a fine 20-yard strike 15 minutes from time.
In Saturday's other game, last season's runners-up Roma laboured to a 1-0 win over Empoli.
Francesco Totti, Gervinho, Juan Iturbe and Davide Astori sat out the match with an eye on the midweek UEFA Champions League clash against CSKA.
The result was a far-from-fluent performance and there was a touch of fortune about the winner, as Radja Nainggolan's shot on the stroke of half-time came back off the base of the post, then hit goalkeeper Luigi Sepe on the head and crossed the line.
Serie A Review: Goals flow as Inter and Milan both win
14 September 2014
Inter ran riot at San Siro as they hammered seven goals past Sassuolo to give them their biggest home win in Serie A since 1966.
On a day that saw 25 goals across the seven matches in Italy's top flight, Walter Mazzarri's side topped the scoring ranks with an emphatic 7-0 home victory.
The result comes almost exactly 12 months after Inter hammered Sassuolo by the same scoreline on the road last season.
Mauro Icardi began the onslaught in the fourth minute with the game's opening goal and went on to record a hat-trick by the 53rd minute.
Mateo Kovacic, Pablo Daniel Osvaldo (two) and Fredy Guarin also found the target, while Domenico Berardi was sent off for the beleaguered visitors, as Inter shrugged off the disappointment of their opening-game stalemate with Torino.
Meanwhile, city neighbours Milan edged a nine-goal thriller 5-4 against Roberto Donadoni's Parma.
Filippo Inzaghi's side looked to be in complete control going into the break 3-1 ahead but Parma never gave in and scored early in the second half through Felipe.
The goals continued to flow as Nigel de Jong and Jeremy Menez, with an audacious back heel, netted for the visitors and Alessandro Lucarelli scored Parma's third.
Both sides ended with 10 men after Daniele Bonera and Felipe were dismissed and the game's final piece of action saw Diego Lopez misjudge a Mattia De Sciglio backpass to conceded a farcical own goal.
Napoli were surprised at the Stadio San Paolo as Chievo took all three points with a 1-0 win on a frustrating day for Rafael Benitez's side.
Gonzalo Higuain saw a first-half penalty saved but the hosts continued to drive forward and finished the match with 33 attempts on goal, a club record in a single Serie A match since 2004-05.
However, it was Maxi Lopez who broke the deadlock for the visitors four minutes after the break and they held on despite intense pressure from the hosts to claim all three points.
Things were much easier for Sampdoria as they beat Torino 2-0 thanks to goals from Manolo Gabbiadini and Stefano Okaka.
Having peppered the Torino goal the hosts had to wait until the 34th minute to open the scoring as Gabbiadini registered his first league strike since March.
Striker Okaka doubled the lead in the 79th minute as he carried the ball through the Torino half before firing home from inside the penalty area.
Elsewhere, Atalanta won 2-1 at Cagliari, Lazio overcame Cesena 3-0, and Fiorentina were held 0-0 by Genoa despite the visitors having Facundo Roncaglia dismissed.
Rafael Benitez was unable to explain Napoli's surprise 1-0 defeat to Chievo in Serie A on Sunday.
Napoli had snatched all three points with a dramatic stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 success at Genoa on the opening weekend, but they failed to build on that victory as Chievo left the Stadio San Paolo with a maximum return for their efforts.
It could have been a different story for the hosts had Gonzalo Higuain not seen a first-half penalty saved by Francesco Bardi.
Maxi Lopez then netted what turned out to be the winner shortly after the interval, with Napoli unable to break down their stubborn visitors in the final stages.
"It is difficult to explain this defeat," Benitez told Sky Sport Italia.
"Towards the last 20 minutes we got a little too hasty and wasted opportunities. It's one of those games where if it had ended 3-1, nobody would've complained.
"The fans were fantastic with the team and did what they had to all the way to the end. If we do not score a goal, then we cannot complain.
"We have to make more of our chances and win a game like this.
"It is a problem if the team doesn't create chances, but with a penalty, 11 clear chances and 33 shots, that changes everything.
"If we had been 3-0 up at half-time, nobody could've complained."
Next up for Napoli is a home match against Sparta Prague in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.
The Italy star left Milan for Liverpool at the end of the summer after just 18 months at the club and has been criticised for failing to make a success of his time at San Siro
Sampdoria striker Stefano Okaka says Mario Balotelli lacked the maturity displayed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic during his time at AC Milan after departing the club for Liverpool.
The Italy star has endured a controversy-ridden career which has already taken in spells at Inter, Manchester City, Milan and now the Reds, with his latest move coming just 18 months on from his arrival at San Siro.
The 24-year-old ended his Rossoneri career with a respectable tally of 26 goals in 43 games but came under scrutiny as Milan finished in a desperately disappointing eighth position in Serie A last season, before making his exit in August.
Balotelli has now been branded a "failure" by Sampdoria's Okaka, who claims the striker lacked the maturity to take responsibility, unlike Zlatan Ibrahimovic during his time with the Italian giants.
He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "Is the fact Balotelli left Serie A for England a failure for our football? No, if anything he is the one who failed. Does he think great champions were never under pressure? When Ibrahimovic was in Italy, he scored 30 goals per season.
"He mustn't keep looking to blame others. Mario is a great player, but if he had problems in Italy then half the responsibility is his.
"At times in life you need to stop and look inside yourself. The fact remains he is a great player and this new English experience might help him rediscover the hunger he once had."
Roma rewarded Ivory Coast international Gervinho with a new contract after his stellar debut campaign in the Serie A.
Gervinho's existing deal was due to expire in 2017, but Roma announced on Monday that the forward had signed a new four-year deal to recommit his future to Rudi Garcia's men.
"Roma announces that it has signed an agreement with the footballer Gervais Yao Kouassi [Gervinho] for an extension to the contract now in force, whose nature was due to expire on 30th June 2017," the statement read.
"The new agreement is a four-year term, expiring on 30th June 2018."
The 27-year-old scored nine goals in 33 Serie A appearances as Roma finished runners-up behind champions Juventus last season.
Gervinho, who netted two goals at the World Cup in Brazil, has already found the back of the net once in Roma's opening two league games.
