John Terry has labelled a report he had an argument with Chelsea interim coach Rafael Benítez as "lazy journalism".
A Sunday paper wrote the pair clashed after Chelsea's 3-2 Premier League defeat to Newcastle earlier this month. Benítez claimed after the game his defence - which Terry started in - lacked experience despite boasting Branislav Ivanović, Gary Cahill and Ashley Cole in front of Petr Čech.
Terry was dropped for wins against Wigan and Sparta Prague before his return for the FA Cup replay against League One Brentford on Sunday.
"I read those stories in the paper but it is completely lazy journalism," Terry stressed. "It's total rubbish."
The former England captain was speaking scored in Chelsea's 4-0 win on Sunday and the Blues now face Championship side Middlesbrough in the fifth-round before a potential quarter-final clash at Manchester United, should the Premier League leaders get past Reading.
Terry celebrates his goal against Brentford
Regarding the supposed row, Benítez also added the story was "totally rubbish".
"We were surprised today with some comments," Benítez said. "It's totally rubbish. We didn't have any problem. We were talking about football with the team.
"He was training yesterday, we had normal conversations. Everything was fine. I was really surprised."
Terry, an infamously powerful figure in the Chelsea dressing room since his promotion to captain in 2004, has supposedly been instrumental in the past sackings of Blues managers during the Roman Abramovich era.
Benítez clarified this week the 32-year-old may have to be patient with Cahill, Ivanović and David Luíz alternative centre back options, even if the trio are all inferior defenders than Terry.
Terry's contract does however expire in June 2014.