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Rafa Benitez has dismissed talk of a rift with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis and said there are plans to discuss a contract renewal. - Horncastle: End of the Rafalution? Benitez is under contract until June 2015 but there have been questions as to whether he will prolong his stay with the Italian club, who failed to make it into this season's Champions League group stage after a defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the final qualification round. "I have a good relationship with the president, and I want to emphasise that because every now and again I hear talk that Benitez is angry and that is false," he told the media ahead of Sunday's game against Chievo, in quotes reported on the club's official website. "De Laurentiis is a man who does so much for Napoli." He added: "When De Laurentiis returns from the United States, we will discuss a contract renewal. For now, though, we're thinking only about the present and we are 110 percent focused on the game tomorrow." Benitez paid a visit to his family in Liverpool earlier this month, which prompted reports that he had gone AWOL amid problems in his relationship with De Laurentiis, despite the president having spoken publicly of his support for the coach. Napoli subsequently issued a statement condemning the reports as "ridiculous" and Benitez clarified his actions at the news conference. "I heard that some were surprised I took a few days off in Liverpool, but if my family lives there and I spent all summer away from them, it's only normal," he said, according to Football Italia. "It's not as if the team is in a delicate moment. I talk to my players every day, many of whom were away on international duty, and have faith in my staff." There has been criticism in the local press and among supporters that the club is not moving forward as it should, with season-ticket sales down. However, Benitez said he is "sure" that Napoli are stronger than last season. "The team is more balanced and more competitive than last year," he said. "For me, our work in the market was perfect bearing in mind our own rules and financial fair play." He added: "We are not afraid to say the word 'scudetto.' We must go forward together. I know you journalists and all the fans want to win. If the supporters are not standing behind us, we lost 20 percent of our effectiveness. "We know that some clubs are stronger than we are, but we need to push in the same direction. The football is powered by sentiment here. We want to grow and become stronger. A journalist who works in Turin writes one headline on Napoli, but one who works in Naples must think before writing to stir up chaos. Our watchword must be unity."
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