Venue: Cape Town

Date: Saturday, 3 July 2010

Kick-off: 3pm

Coverage: Television coverage BBC1 & BBC HD, video live on BBC Sport website for UK users, BBC Radio 5 live, live text commentary on this website
TEAM NEWS

Argentina star Lionel Messi is expected to play against Germany despite missing training on Thursday with a cold.

Walter Samuel has recovered from a thigh problem but is not expected to displace Nicolas Burdisso or Martin Demichelis at centre-back.

Germany's counter-attacking prowess could persuade coach Diego Maradona to replace winger Angel Di Maria with the more defensive-minded Jonas Gutierrez.

Maradona must also choose between Maxi Rodriguez and veteran Juan Veron.

Germany will assess Lukas Podolski, who is nursing a muscular problem.

Playmaker Mesut Ozil is expected to start despite skipping training on Thursday due to fatigue.

Striker Cacau is still suffering from a strained abdominal muscle, and is unlikely to be involved.

One booking from suspension: Bolatti, Heinze, Mascherano (Argentina); Friedrich, Khedira, Lahm, Ozil, Muller, Schweinsteiger (Germany).
MATCH PREVIEW

It could be tempting fate, but Saturday's match in Cape Town has all the ingredients to be a World Cup classic - two attack-minded sides, a plethora of star names and bucket loads of needle. With 19 goals between them, both sides have gone for the jugular in South Africa. That was certainly the case when the teams met in the quarter-finals four years ago, when Germany's penalty shoot-out win was followed by a mass brawl which earned two Argentine players Fifa bans.

Bastian Schweinsteiger has this week reopened those old wounds: "The behaviour of the Argentines on the pitch, how they gesticulate and how they try to influence the referee, is disrespectful". Captain Philipp Lahm went further, saying "they are impulsive, temperamental and they don't know how to lose."

For once, Diego Maradona refused to take the bait, dismissing Schweinsteiger's comments as symptomatic of nerves, but the coach admits Argentina will be looking for revenge on Saturday.

Lionel Messi was only an unused substitute in 2006, but will play a key role in Cape Town. Messi was many people's tip as player of the tournament but, by his own very high standards, has yet to hit top gear. Instead Germany's Mesut Ozil has arguably been the outstanding player in South Africa.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

- Victory in the 1986 World Cup final is Argentina's only previous World Cup win in five matches against Germany or West Germany. Since the 1990 final they have met six times (including friendlies), with Argentina's only defeat coming in a penalty shoot-out at the last World Cup.
Argentina

- The Albiceleste have won all nine of their matches this calendar year and have won 12 of their last 13 games. Their only slip-up was a 2-1 defeat to Spain last November.

- Argentina have yet to draw a match under Diego Maradona. They have won 18 and lost five of his 23 matches in charge.

- Lionel Messi has had 23 shots at goal in South Africa but has yet to score. No other player has had as many shots without scoring at the tournament.
Germany

- Miroslav Klose's opener against England was the 12th World Cup goal of his career. Only Just Fontaine (13), Gerd Muller (14) and Ronaldo (15) have scored more at the tournament.

- Germany have never gone more than 20 years between winning World Cups - their last victory was in 1990.

- The Germans have won all four of their previous World Cup penalty shoot-outs, having beaten France (1982), Mexico (1986), England (1990) and Argentina (2006). The Argentines have won three of their four shoot-outs, defeating Yugoslavia and Italy (1990) and England (1998) before losing to the Germans four years ago.

Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

Assistants: Rafael Ilyasov (Uzbekistan) and Bakhadyr Kochkarov (Kyrgyzstan)

Fourth official: Jerome Damon (South Africa)

Match

dont care if they fight/injuries /red cards as long as germany wins. Maradona should Join dunga and brazil

Now this is a match to watch. Will be waiting to see the Germans do Argentina like they did England . Come on, it could happen .

Go Deutshland

PokerFace:

I hate Germans with passion! Bloody Hitlers!

That was then. The racism that runs through the veins of an Argentine is unbelievable.

GO GERMANY!!!

Pokerface,

Why you come dey dem country? You for just relocate to a country where they aint racist

Go Mannschaft. The Dutch overcame an even bigger obstacle i see no reason why y'all can't beat the Argies

Germany must win this. Go check my cristalball

The invincible German machine will surely crush Diego Maradona and his boys.

dayokanu:

Go Deutshland

dayokanu, please watch the match for me, mmmhhh, unfortunatelly I MUST work today
and can not watch it. Though, I will hear if they shoot a goal, but it is not the same.

Am so sad      

I can't wait for this match to start. It's gonna be cracker.

You and who? Did i tell you i'm seeking greener pastures?Better go sit your racist butt somewhere! Before i deal with your sorry racist butt licking asss! Must your sorry asss mention my name Or was my statement directed at your Hitler head? Better go back to your corner and continue sucking them Nazi butts! Hope you choke on some Nazi poo! Nazi butt licker!

Lodge your complaints about German racism to the nearest police post in Oldenburg

dayokanu, please watch the match for me,  mmmhhh, unfortunatelly I MUST work today
and can not watch it. Though, I will hear if they shoot a goal,  but it is not the same.

You mean people are working today in Germany? I thot they would close everywhere like the jobless English people

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All guess what ! My boss just called me to the office! Am i not supposed to stay at home and this match? Gosh!

Go Argies, restore the good old "hand of god" days

Bleep you deutshweillans for making my 3 LIONS cry!!! Bleep you!!! Today is the day of raekwon for y'all racist nazi-weillers --- lollllz

pokerface, is that you on your profile pic? she is so beautiful

Go ARGIES, MAKE HITLER GNASH MORE OF HIS TEETH IN THE STINKIEST PART OF ABARDDON-HELL TONITE, WHILE HE AWAITS THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT FOR SLUTTERING GOD'S CHOSEN RACE!!!

I hope to finish the work I have at hand before the match starts.

Messi to destroy Germ today up Argi boyssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

I foresee a germany vs spain final

Go Germany Go Germany Gooooooooooooo

Go Germany Go Germany Gooooooooooooo

GO GERMANY<<<<<PLEASE MAKE ME PROUD,BY KICKING MARADONA OUT OF THE COMPETITION.

Germany would win the WC so how can ARG dream of winning this? Messi would be left clueless without a doubt and without a goal in this WC. At least some would claim he contributed to almost all of the 19 goals ? Nonsense!

No extra time in this as OZIL, MULLER, SCHWEINI and KLOSE would have dusted the contest b4 the Argies know what hit them.

Its going to be a match to look forward to. Germany played excellently against England. They are fast, skillful and dangerous.

It would be tough, but i give it to them.

.

Its gotta be Argentina. . . . . . . they've got gods in that team

I'm a neutral in this game. Of course It would be nice for Argentina to win the world cup so that Messi can officially be considered among the best ever, but after Germany's anal penetration of England, I can't hate on them. Those boys no come sell groundnut.

May the better team win!

Germany all day, baby!

Did anyone see the sign in the stands that said 'Dios es Argentino. . .y vos?' with Maradona's picture beside it? Talk about arrogance. But, these are the same people that say thunder is God taking their picture, so I shouldn't be surprised.

Go Argiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii messi to score two goals here

The BBC dude speaks German, Spanish and English??
NIIICE