Lazio coach Stefano Pioli has claimed that his team deserve their place in next season's Champions League.

The Biancocelesti secured a third-place finish in the Serie A table on Sunday by beating rivals Napoli 4-2 at the Stadio San Paolo.

Pioli now hopes that his players can push on during the 2015-16 campaign and make their mark on Europe.

"I always said my team was special, a side with high moral values," he told Sport Mediaset. "We did everything to make life difficult for ourselves, but we do deserve to be in this position. We are only at the beginning. This year we laid the foundations for something important in the future."

Lazio ended the Serie A campaign with 21 victories from 38 matches.