MexicoBy Rex Gowar
HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, June 25 (Reuters) - Germany will be hard to beat as World Cup hosts but their more direct style may play into Argentina's hands when they meet in the quarter-final in Berlin on Friday, Argentine players said.
"Germany have a system that they are faithful to until the death and that could suit us well," defender Lionel Scaloni told reporters on Sunday.
Scaloni, who replaced the injured Nicolas Burdisso when Argentina beat Mexico 2-1 after extra time in the second round on Saturday, compared Germany's style with the Mexicans'.
"Few teams have as many tactical options (as Mexico)," he said of Argentina's difficulties in overcoming their Latin American rivals in Leipzig.
Captain Juan Pablo Sorin believes Juergen Klinsmann's team do not fit the typical Germany stereotype.
"They're quite an attacking side for Germany, coming round the outside with two fast wings, central defenders who come through the middle and the best left back of the tournament, who is (Philipp) Lahm," said Sorin, a left back himself.
Scaloni added: "They have (Michael) Ballack in the middle but coming through like a "media punta" (attacking midfielder in the hole behind the strikers).
"They are the home side and have the responsibility of showing their people that they can win the World Cup," he said.
GOOD REFEREEING
"This German team have perhaps more shine than the 2002 side, I hope they don't have more scoring power," Sorin said.
He added, however, that there was no point in comparing the two German vintages or Argentina's present team with the 2002 side that made a shock first round exit in Asia.
Sorin also said he did not believe Germany would have any home advantage as far as the refereeing was concerned.
"The standard of refereeing in the tournament has been very good, there have been neither gross mistakes nor controversial actions," Sorin said.
"Sincerely, we have full trust in the refereeing and in FIFA and don't believe there will be anything strange."
Sorin said Argentina's 3-2 victory over West Germany in the 1986 final in Mexico, when he was eight years old, was a match "that marked our lives as fans and now as players in the national team".
The two nations met again in the 1990 final in Rome which the West Germans won 1-0.
