Bundesliga strugglers Energie Cottbus have suspended defender Igor Mitreski from the first team following the player's public criticism of coach Bojan Prasnikar.

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"Mitreski will not be training with the team until further notice and has also been handed a 10,000 euro fine," Cottbus announced on their website.

Prasnikar added: "Every single player has a responsibility for the discipline in the team. Criticism is okay, if it is voiced internally.

"We have to accept each other and be aware of our responsibility for our sporting aims.

"Whoever behaves like that has to deal with the respective consequences."

The 29-year-old Macedonia international, who has made just two starts this season, told Germany's Kicker magazine the side were bottom because of Prasnikar's frequent team changes.

General manager Steffen Heidrich said: "We are taking these measures despite the injuries to Mario Cvitanovic and Stanislav Angelov which have made our personnel situation fraught, because we can not accept such conduct."