Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez has warned the Premier League to beware of new Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri after seeing him guide Napoli to within touching distance of Italian giants Juventus.
The two men will go head-to-head at St James’ Park on Sunday when the Spaniard’s Newcastle host Sarri’s Chelsea, having both enjoyed successful spells at the Stadio San Paolo.
Benitez steered Napoli to third and fifth-place finishes and won the Italian Cup and Super Cup during his spell at the helm, while Sarri finished second twice either side of a third-place finish after replacing Benitez.
The Italian launched his coaching career while working in banking and cut his teeth with the likes of Sansovino, Pescara, Arezzo and Sorrento before making his name with Empoli and earning his chance at Napoli.
Benitez said: “He was trying to play attacking football and pass the ball (earlier in his career) but if you have the right tools, you can do better.
“They can say he was not winning – yes – but the team maybe was not capable of winning. But when he has a team like Napoli that was doing well, he was playing well and he was close, he was close.
“Maybe a couple of years more at Napoli and he could have been winning the title but Juventus are very strong.
“He loves football, he’s a good coach. Okay, he started a little bit later, but still he has the love for the game.”
Sarri inherited a side at Stamford Bridge which under-achieved last season under Antonio Conte as they attempted to defend the Premier League title at the same time as Newcastle were battling to re-establish themselves in the top flight in the wake of promotion.
The new Chelsea manager was allowed to invest heavily in Kepa and Jorginho over the summer while his Magpies counterpart found himself once again having to make ends meet, and the latter knows last season’s “miracle” 10th-place finish will be difficult to replicate.
Benitez said: “Everybody knows that finishing 10th was a miracle because we did really well, that’s it.
“We have to compete with teams when we go to the transfer window who are normally at the bottom of the table, that is the reality.
“The reality is that we have to be safe and if we are safe, then we can try to achieve something more. But if we finish 12th, it will not be a disaster, no chance. It will be quite positive.”