Rafa Benítez, former coach of the Azzurri, commented on the recent Champions League phase of the Italian clubs, focusing in particular on Inter and Roma. In his interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Spanish coach expressed concern about the defeats suffered by Roma, Inter, Napoli and Como, underlining how these matches have raised questions about the competitive level of Serie A compared to European championships.
Benítez began by analyzing the two most controversial matches: Inter's 3-4 against Club Brugge and the clash between Roma and Real Madrid, where the Giallorossi were eliminated at home. "Two games with completely different developments. Inter's result was surprising and predictable at the same time, but sensational for the way it happened. Roma's defeat was even more heartbreaking," said the former coach, adding that, despite the difficulties, he saw "something good" in Inter on the Olympic pitch.
In his comment on the quality of Serie A, Benítez reiterated that "not very good training" is an extreme assessment, but he does not exclude the possibility that the Italian championship is going through a moment of difficulty. He highlighted that the Italian teams - Inter, Napoli, Roma and Como - have different structures both from a technical-tactical and demographic point of view, and that this can partly explain their performances in the Champions League. “It's a temporary short circuit,” he said, “but between Tuesday and Wednesday we will return to the Champions League and the answers will arrive quickly.”
Benítez then analyzed Inter's defeat at San Siro against Brugge, underlining that the team has shown difficulty in winning in the Champions League, but also recalled that Inter have been finalists on two occasions, in 2023 and 2025. "It is clear that the zero position in the table is surprising, but the only reasonable doubt concerns the difficulties shown against Brugge," he explained. He concluded with the observation that, at this early stage of the season, Inter's defense has suffered too many blows, a fact that cannot be ignored.
Finally, Benítez closed the interview with an invitation not to neglect the detailed analyzes of Italian performances in the Champions League. “There is one fact that cannot be overlooked: in this initial phase of the season the defense has suffered too much,” he underlined, leaving open the prospect of further investigations in the next European matches.