Hamburg - Germany striker Lukas Podolski will face no sanctions after he appeared to slap captain Michael Ballack in an altercation during the 2-0 defeat of Wales in Cardiff on Wednesday, team manager Oliver Bierhoff said.

Bierhoff said in Cardiff early Thursday that the two players had cleared up their differences after the game and the matter was now closed.

"The important thing is that nothing has been left unresolved," he said.

Bierhoff said the coaching staff met the team to discuss the altercation and then called in Ballack and Podolski.

"We made it clear that things like this sort of thing can be seen in a bad light. It was done in three minutes. Afterwards they looked each other in the eye and shook hands."

The two players began arguing in the 67th minute after Ballack said something to Podolski, and as words were exchanged the Bayern Munich forward struck out a hand, appearing to make contact with Ballack's cheek.

Coach Joachim Loew defended 32-year-old Ballack, saying he had the right as captain to tell other players what to do.

"When Michael Ballack gives an instruction it has to be accepted, but I am sure it is something I will discuss with both of them," he said.

Ballack said the altercation was about a "tactical thing" and that 23-year-old Podolki as a young player "still has a lot to learn."

"It's the sort of situation that often happens on the pitch," he said.

"If he has a different opinion than the captain then we can talk about it after the game but on the pitch he first has to do it (what he is told).

"He was unfortunately of a different opinion, but you can't get violent."

Ballack said Podolski may have boiled over after a frustrating evening.

"He wasn't happy with himself. Nothing much went right but you have to go through this," he said.

"You get games sometimes when nothing goes right up front, then someone says something. But you have to deal with it, that's something he has to learn and not react in that way."

Podolski played down the incident, saying he was "someone who can show his emotions but we are professional enough to sort out things like this internally."

Loew meanwhile was satisfied after six points from a 4-0 win over Liechtenstein on Saturday and the 2-0 win in Wales which keeps them four points ahead of Russia in Group 4.

"Russia only won 1-0 against Liechtenstein (on Wednesday). A qualification like this is not easy and it's important to win," he said.

Germany's next World Cup qualifying game is in Azerbaijan on August 12, with a return match in Hanover on September 9. The Germans take on Russia in Moscow on October 10.

Russia, who have a game in hand, visit Finland on June 10, and remain Germany's chief rival in the group, but Loew said he did not believe Russia would win all their group games. (dpa)