I'm no traitor, claims Leonardo

New Inter Milan coach Leonardo denied on Wednesday that he is a traitor having taken over on the nerazzurro bench just six months after leaving AC Milan.

A few eyebrows were raised when Inter plumped for Leonardo having fired Rafael Benitez in December after less than six months in charge.

Leonardo spent just one season at the AC Milan helm, guiding them to third in Serie A and a 7-2 aggregate defeat to Manchester United in the second round of the Champions League.

That was his only year as a football coach and when he was dismissed at the season's end it brought the curtain down on a 13-year association with the club in a variety of roles including player, scout, technical director and finally coach.

But he denies that his appointment at their bitter city rivals is a kick in the teeth to his former employers.

"I'm totally comfortable with what I did in red and black (Milan's colours)," he told reporters.

"I know that I'm not a traitor and this serenity allows me to respect and accept the judgements of others."

Turning to matters at hand, Leonardo claimed there would be no revolution at Inter as he tries to pick up the pieces of a near disastrous first half of the season under Benitez.

The reigning champions, who also won the Champions League and Coppa Italia last season, are down in seventh in Serie A, 13 points behind leaders Milan but with two games in hand.

And while Benitez fumed that he needed four new players before being fired, Leonardo seems content to work with those he already has plus the one new acquisition, centre-back Andrea Ranocchia.

"There's a great culture of hard work in training and there's a huge desire to start well," he said.

"What Inter did (last season) was incredible. This team did something unique and we have to live with this knowledge.

"The team already has its own identity, they've been winning (the league) for five years but there's no sense of fulfillment, no one's sitting down.

"I don't have to make any big changes, the group is united and compact, as are the coaching staff."

Inter face a somewhat unusual situation against Napoli at the San Siro on Thursday as they are not necessarily the favourites.

Napoli are 10 points clear of them in the table in second place -- although having played two games more -- and many feel they have been the best team this season.

Leonardo knows this is a tough match with which to begin his Inter adventure.

"It's not an easy game, they're in great form. I think it will be a very strategic game," he said.

And Napoli certainly don't suffer from an inferiority complex coming into the match, despite their opponents' greater pedigree.

"If I was offered a draw beforehand I wouldn't take it because my team have already shown that they can get a result against anyone," said Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri who believes the presence of his side so close to the top of the table has got the regular big guns worried.

"The big clubs are a bit afraid of us because they weren't expecting to find us there where we are now," added Mazzarri.

"Hence we are starting to discover enemies, everyone knows about us now and some are afraid.

"We're in good shape and delighted with what we've done.

"At the beginning, no one expected us to be second and on 33 points two games before the halfway point of the season.

"But I repeat to my players that they must never lose the humility that has made them strong; it would be a mistake to go to Milan tomorrow at full gallop."