Rafael Benitez: 'Napoli under no pressure against Athletic Bilbao'

Napoli manager Rafael Benitez has insisted that his side are under no pressure ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Athletic Bilbao.

After being held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their playoff, Napoli now face a battle to reach the group stages as they look for a positive result in Spain, but Benitez believes that a defeat would be far more damaging for Bilbao.

"For Napoli, nothing changes whether we win or lose," the Spaniard told reporters. "Going out would not be a tragedy.

"This a work in progress and we are developing, we'll keep improving the club's structure for the future and for all other competitions.

"I know Athletic have been out of the Champions League for 16 years, they have little to lose because they feel they have succeeded already, but they also have a lot to lose as they are very close to qualifying. That can create nervousness and anxiety."

Napoli were knocked out of the group stages of last season's competition.