Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has dismissed Mario Balotelli's training bust-up with team-mate Micah Richards as a 'stupid thing'.
The pair came to blows during a practice match at training during the week, but Mancini was quick to offer an explanation for the scuffle.
"I have asked him (Balotelli), he says it is because they didn't pass the ball to him, it was a stupid thing, it was for nothing but after three minutes it was finished," Mancini stressed.
"It was a stupid thing but when you play a football match, eight versus eight, and you put passion into that match sometimes it can happen, in every team, not every week but often."
"Mario and Micah were boxing, but they are like twins. They are very good friends. This has happened with Mario four times now. He is the king for this. But it has happened with other players."
And with Balotelli's fireworks mishap in mind, Mancini suggested the festive season might be a time for the Italian international to stay in the confines of the team hotel.
"Now because we are near Christmas and near the last day of the year it is very dangerous for Mario (Balotelli) with the fire. It is better for him to stay in a hotel over this period," he said.
Having suffered their first loss of the season in the Premier League against Chelsea last weekend, City face a rampant Arsenal side at Etihad Stadium on Sunday (local time) with one man providing much of the homework for Mancini.
"(Robin) Van Persie is an incredible player like (Sergio) Aguero, (Edin) Dzeko or Mario. He scores one goal every game and at this moment he is playing very well and like Arsenal they are also playing very well," he said.
"I think that at the moment, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham, who are very close to us, can fight for the title. But the season is long and I think that also Chelsea and Arsenal and maybe Liverpool can fight us too. But that is only at the moment, because the season is long."