Sven-Goran Eriksson plays down Mario Balotelli, Roberto Mancini bust-up

Former Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has played down the clash between striker Mario Balotelli and manager Roberto Mancini at the club's Carrington training ground on Thursday.

The Swede, who managed the defending Premier League champions in 2007-08, claims that confrontations between players and managers during training sessions happen at every club.

"At any football club in the world this sort of thing happens, it just never comes out into the press," BBC Sport quotes Eriksson as saying.

"The difference with City is that people can photograph training.

"The difference with City is that photographers can stand and take photos all the time at Carrington and this still doesn't seem to have been sorted out. It was the same when I was there."

City have yet to comment on the incident.