Schweinsteiger warns of disrespectful Argentina
Reuters - Wednesday 30 June 2010, 13:07
ERASMIA - Germany must
beware of Argentina's attempts to provoke them during Saturday's
World Cup quarter-final, German midfielder Bastian
Schweinsteiger said on Wednesday.
Schweinsteiger said Argentine players would be looking to
throw the Germans off their game and urged his teammates not to
be drawn into any provocation.
"It starts before the match," Schweinsteiger, a member of
the squad that beat Argentina on penalties four years ago to
move into the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup, told reporters.
"If you see how they gesticulate, how they try to influence
the referee. That is not part of the game. That is a lack of
respect. They just are like that," said Schweinsteiger.
Several players and coaches from both teams clashed
immediately after Germany's victory on penalties in 2006 in an
incident that briefly overshadowed the hosts' joy of advancing
to the last four.
Germany and Argentina have also met twice in a World Cup
final, with the former winning in 1990 and the latter coming out
on top four years earlier.
"We should not be provoked by them," Schweinsteiger said.
"I hope the referee will pick up the feeling of who is
provoking whom. We saw that again in their match against Mexico
at half time."
There was a heated exchange between the Argentina and Mexico
benches at half time of their last 16 match after Italian referee
Roberto Rosetti let Argentina's first goal stand despite being
clearly offside. Argentina won 3-1 to advance.
"This behaviour shows their character and mentality,"
Schweinsteiger said.
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