Mandanda dismisses Marseille dressing room row

Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda has played down a dressing-room altercation between his team-mates Michy Batshuayi and Abdelaziz Barrada.

Reports by French newspaper 20 Minutes said Bayshuayi and Barrada had to be separated from exchanging blows by players and staff after Sunday’s 1-0 Ligue 1 win over Nantes, while a wall outside the Marseille changing room was damaged during the incident.

Batshuayi rejected the “misunderstanding” as “nothing” and Mandanda also sought to quell any controversy ahead of his team’s Europa League match against Braga.

“It happens everywhere,” he said, “Every year there are one or two small [incidents].

“It happened, it lasted 10 minutes. It was then completed.

“It’s part of the life of a squad. I see no problem. This is something that often happens. I’ve seen worse. 

“This is not something that bothers me or shocks me more than that.”