Monday 7 July 2014 09:19, UK
Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger has accused Tuesday’s opponents Brazil of "tackling beyond the limits".
The midfielder accepts that the World Cup hosts have outstanding talent but sometimes cross the line when it comes to tackling.
During Friday’s quarter-final in Fortaleza, Brazil committed 31 fouls compared to 23 from Colombia.
The Germans meet Brazil in Belo Horizonte with the winners taking their place in next Sunday’s final at the Maracana Stadium.
And the war of words, ahead of this week’s big clash, has already started with Schweinsteiger saying: "I am all for a healthy hardness but some of Brazil's fouls were over the limit.
"Brazilians are not only football magicians, hard tackling is part of their game. We have to be careful and so does the referee.”
Germany’s assistant coach, Hansi Flick, also weighed in by adding: "Brazil is an outstanding team that plays at the limit of the allowed and will go over the limit if necessary."
Brazil go into the match without their star performer Neymar, who sustained a fractured vertebrae after taking a knee in the back in a challenge from Juan Zuniga.
