Saccone, who worked under Walter Mazzarri, Benítez and Maurizio Sarri, was part of a Napoli side that consistently challenged at home and in Europe.
“At Napoli I had the fortune to work with three important coaches,” Saccone said in an interview with Football Presse. “They were important years because we always reached European competitions — four times the Champions League group stage and three times the Europa League.
“We finished second twice, won two Coppa Italia and one Supercoppa. In those years Juventus dominated Italian football, so we were the only team able to take trophies away from them. That was important.”
Despite the success, Saccone pointed to a painful Champions League exit as his lowest moment.
“The worst moment was going out of the Champions League with 12 points,” he explained. “It was the only time a team did that and didn’t go through. We went out on goal difference — it was very bad because the team was very strong.
“We could have gone much further. Also the Europa League semi-final against Dnipro, with two offside goals — that was another bad moment.”
That Napoli side featured stars such as Gonzalo Higuaín, Dries Mertens and Kalidou Koulibaly, and Saccone says working with elite players shaped him professionally.
“Even when you don’t get results, the experience is always positive. It teaches you many things,” he said.
However, it was Benítez who left the biggest mark.
“For me, Rafael Benítez influenced me the most. He always stimulated me with training using the ball. He made you think differently — he gave answers you didn’t expect.
“Before training we had meetings where everyone proposed ideas. After training we analysed everything — what worked and what didn’t. That makes you grow every day.
“Benítez made the team international. He teaches you logic. If you think more, you find solutions — and you grow as a coach.”