Schweinsteiger warns of 'disrespectful' Argentina

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, said.

"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 halftime."

There was a heated exchange between the Argentina and Mexico benches at halftime 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.