Sports

Germans urge ref to check tough-tackling Brazil

Staff Correspondent
Colombia's forward Carlos Bacca (C) challenges Brazil's goalkeeper Julio Cesar (R) and Brazil's defender David Luiz (L) during the quarter-final football match between Brazil and Colombia at the Castelao Stadium in Fortaleza during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 4, 2014. AFP
Colombia's forward Carlos Bacca (C) challenges Brazil's goalkeeper Julio Cesar (R) and Brazil's defender David Luiz (L) during the quarter-final football match between Brazil and Colombia at the Castelao Stadium in Fortaleza during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on July 4, 2014. AFP

German star Bastian Schweinsteiger says the referee must pay close attention to tough-tackling Brazil in Tuesday's semi-final to ensure fouls do not go unchecked.

"I am all for hard, clean challenges, but there were one or two tackles which were over the limit," Schweinsteiger said after watching Brazil's quarter-final win over Colombia that featured many robust challenges by the hosts.

"The Brazilians here aren't the magicians of old, the team has changed and so has their playing style.

"Hard challenges are definitely are part of their game."

Germany head coach Joachim Loew agreed: "The Brazilians have technically good players, but they are also very robust and it's something the referee must pay close attention to."

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