Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo has said manager Louis van Gaal can have "a little bit of a dog" look when he is unhappy but is a "great person."
Former Netherlands, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Ajax boss Van Gaal has a reputation for being a fearsome manager.
On Thursday, it was reported that a group of United players confronted the Dutchman over his training methods earlier this season.
Rojo, who signed at Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon, explained that Van Gaal has an imposing demeanour but one he respects.
Asked in an interview with Fox Sports Argentina about Van Gaal's "serious look" and "dog face" -- suggesting he is bad-tempered and grumpy -- Rojo replied: "He has a strong personality but he is a great person.
"He's got that look -- a little bit of a dog. It's scary but when you know him and you are there with him on a daily basis, everything is well, provided you obey!
"He is a great person, he understands you, he listens. He speaks a bit of Spanish so very often he gets me to his office for a chat."
Asked whether Van Gaal has a preference for European players over South American players, Rojo said: "Perhaps that is the feeling people have from outside but I've been there, with Falcao, [Antonio] Valencia, Angel [Di Maria] -- he treated everyone the same.
"In some cases, with [former Barcelona midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme] and with Angel, it was noticeable that he had half a short fuse. But I think he is a great person. He never makes a distinction.
"He doesn't give any preference to the Europeans."
ESPN FC correspondent Adriana Garcia contributed to this report.