Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has dismissed complaints about a Nigel de Jong tackle during Tuesday’s friendly match against Bayern Munich by saying that “football is not ballet.”

De Jong found himself involved in another row over his rugged playing style when a tackle on Joshua Kimmich led to the Bayern player being taken off after only 20 minutes.

“I didn’t see De Jong’s tackle on Kimmich, but football is not ballet and fouls are part of the match,” Mihajlovic told reporters after the game, according to Italian media.

“For that reason, games such as this one cannot be defined as friendlies.”

The match, won 3-0 by Bayern, was part of a pre-season tournament in Munich.

The incident led to an angry confrontation between De Jong and Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola outside the dressing room at half-time, caught by television cameras.

Mihajlovic admitted his side still have a lot of work to do after their defeat on Tuesday.

“They were sharper than us and with their strengths they know how to put any side in difficulty,” Mihajlovic said on his club’s website.

“There are no excuses, however, as we should have done more in all areas, especially in terms of courage and character.

“They focused on keeping possession and then winning it back. We have our faults. Matches can be lost, but you have to play with character.

“We cannot lose confidence in ourselves, but at this moment in time, there is a difference between us and them. We can do more and we must do more.”