Argentina-Germany mind games take explosive twist
Jul 02, 2010
PRETORIA - Diego Maradona has already served a FIFA ban for insulting the media in the last year and his Basil Fawlty-style response to a scathing attack from Bastian Schweinsteiger is unlikely to receive the approval of the UN.
PRETORIA - Diego Maradona has already served a FIFA ban for insulting the media in the last year and his Basil Fawlty-style response to a scathing attack from Bastian Schweinsteiger is unlikely to receive the approval of the UN.
But it does guarantee drama as well as what promises to be a fascinating match when the two teams meet in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium.
The rift dates back to the World Cup quarter-final they contested in Berlin four years ago, when yet another successful penalty shoot-out for the Germans was followed by an astonishing brawl.
Terrible past
The Argentines claimed the Germans had mocked them for failing to hold their nerve. Leandro Cufre was sent off for a karate kick on Per Mertesacker while Torsten Frings was banned for the semi-final the Germans lost to Italy for throwing a punch.
On Wednesday Schweinsteiger kicked things off by branding the Argentines 'disrespectful' and accusing them of forever trying to influence the referee.
Philipp Lahm, the Germany captain, added fuel to the fire on Thursday by saying the South Americans are 'impulsive and temperamental'.
Maradona issued his response to Joachim Low's side in a television interview, addressing the Bayern Munich midfielder in a German accent by saying: "What's the matter with you, Schweinsteiger, are you nervous?'
"We don't have time to think about Schweinsteiger," he said.
"The players are thinking about going on the pitch and getting revenge. I'm not worried about what they say about the penalties. We are coming out to attack them and play in their faces. This is what has them nervous."
But it does guarantee drama as well as what promises to be a fascinating match when the two teams meet in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium.
The rift dates back to the World Cup quarter-final they contested in Berlin four years ago, when yet another successful penalty shoot-out for the Germans was followed by an astonishing brawl.
Terrible past
The Argentines claimed the Germans had mocked them for failing to hold their nerve. Leandro Cufre was sent off for a karate kick on Per Mertesacker while Torsten Frings was banned for the semi-final the Germans lost to Italy for throwing a punch.
On Wednesday Schweinsteiger kicked things off by branding the Argentines 'disrespectful' and accusing them of forever trying to influence the referee.
Philipp Lahm, the Germany captain, added fuel to the fire on Thursday by saying the South Americans are 'impulsive and temperamental'.
Maradona issued his response to Joachim Low's side in a television interview, addressing the Bayern Munich midfielder in a German accent by saying: "What's the matter with you, Schweinsteiger, are you nervous?'
"We don't have time to think about Schweinsteiger," he said.
"The players are thinking about going on the pitch and getting revenge. I'm not worried about what they say about the penalties. We are coming out to attack them and play in their faces. This is what has them nervous."