Football powerhouses Argentina and Germany will clash on Saturday at Cape Town in the third quarter final match of the FIFA World Cup 2010 that has all the makings of a final, and taking forward their intense rivalry with both sides boasting victories.
Plenty of mind games are being played by the proponents from both sides, as if the clash of talent is not enough. And for an added twist, the world's greatest player, Argentina's Lionel Messi, was said to be suffering from a bout of cold, less than 48 hours before kickoff.
Team doctor Donato Villani said Messi was kept out of Thursday's training because he "has cold-like symptoms, nothing serious." He would undergo thorough medical tests on the eve of the game to test his match fitness.
Even though he has not scored yet himself, the Barcelona forward has been instrumental in notching Argentina's 10-2 goal tally with probing runs and deft passing.
Argentina's coach Diego Maradona, the former midfield maestro, is confident his team can counter the current German threat, despite it being high on confidence after crushing old enemy England 4-1 in the round of 16.
"We will take stock of our situation, then we will try and put together the best team to showcase our talents against Germany," said Maradona, who is seeking emulate German Franz Beckenbauer as the only man to have skippered and then coached a country to World Cup glory.
"It will be the team to give us the guarantee to overcome Germany. We know Germany is a different team to (round-of-16 opponent) Mexico. They are stronger, but we will field the right players to beat them."
On the other hand, Germany has faced daunting challenges at every stage on their route through this FIFA World Cup, and six days after dispatching England they find themselves up against a formidable Argentinean team, considered by many pundits to be the favorites to lift the trophy on July 11.
The two countries meet for the sixth time at the same stage, the last being in 2006 when German Juergen Klinsmann's side prevailed 4-2 on penalties. With three wins, a draw and a solitary defeat from those encounters, Die Nationalmannschaft will be confident of prevailing once again. The two sides also locked horns notably in the 1986 and 1990 Finals.
For Germany, this is their 15th consecutive quarter-final appearance but they can expect a testing time against an Albiceleste side determined to avenge their 2006 loss.
Joachim Low's injection of fresh blood in the form of Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller has paid rich dividends in this tournament, with the support of more veterans such as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose.
Forward Lukas Podolski and Mesut Oezil missed Friday's training session because of muscular problems and fatigue. In-form striker Cacau also missed the session because of a right thigh injury and has not trained for the past two days. He is a doubtful starter against Argentina.
The final last-eight game at South Africa 2010 will pit European champions Spain against obdurate South American opposition Paraguay, whose ultra-defense has conceded just one goal since the start of the tournament.
The encounter between the two sides is expected to be an interesting one with the Paraguay side preferring to keep things tight at the back and wait for openings while the one-touch, pass-and-move specialists Spain, will be keen to unleash their attacking potential.
Paraguay has failed to score in the last two matches, requiring penalties to progress past Japan in the previous round. La Albrirroja dominated possession against the Japanese, something it doesn't expect to repeat against Spain in the country's first World Cup quarterfinal.
"It's going to be a good match where you will see two types of football," goalkeeper Justo Villar said, adding that Paraguay "(won't) give them any space."
"One side trying to attack skillfully while we try to stop them and then try to take advantage of our chances."
For Spain, a bigger threat than Paraguay might be its own history of disappointment and their designation as underachievers at the World Cup. The reigning European Champions haven't been to the semifinals of soccer's biggest stage in 60 years, a record they'll finally look to erase Saturday at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
La Furia Roja has never won a quarterfinal contest, finishing in fourth place in 1950 when there were no elimination matches - just initial and final group stages.
Argentina-Germany, Cape Town, 16.00 (1400 GMT)Paraguay-Spain, Johannesburg (Ellis Park), 20.30 (1830 GMT)
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