Sweden officials have played down the confrontation between Olof Mellberg and Fredrik Ljungberg following the disappointing goalless draw with Trinidad and Tobago.
The experienced Barclays Premiership duo were involved in an altercation in the Sweden dressing room minutes after the final whistle on Saturday, bringing back memories of the pair's heated training-ground bust-up during the 2002 World Cup finals.
That incident saw the players grappling on the ground after Arsenal midfielder Ljungberg was floored by a hefty challenge by Aston Villa defender Mellberg.
However, Sweden press chief Thomas Saleteg has poured cold water on this latest spat.
"It was not a fight, but a short, but hot, dispute between some players. Two of those players were Mellberg and Ljungberg," Saleteg said. "It was a typical dressing-room situation, nothing serious."
The Sweden squad have come under fire from both their fans and the country's media following the shock draw with tournament debutants Trinidad & Tobago.
Lars Lagerback's team failed to impress in their World Cup warm-up games and that form continued into the tournament last weekend.
Their hopes of reaching the knockout stages took a serious blow with the result and it appears nothing less than a victory will suffice in their second group game, against Paraguay on Thursday. Their final match in the pool is against England on June 20.
One of the biggest criticisms levelled at Lagerback has been his decision to opt for Anders Svensson in the centre of midfield ahead of talented play-maker Kim Kallstrom, who has just signed for French champions Lyon from Rennes.
