 After three seasons playing in Apulia, he went to play for Padova in Serie B, where he remained for two years, attracting much attention from larger Italian clubs.In 1991, Benarrivo was bought by Parma under Nevio Scala; that year, he would help his new team to qualify for the UEFA Cup in his first year in Serie A.He quickly became one of the strongest players of the Emilian side, which achieved notable domestic and European successes over the next decade.