Germany have more than Riquelme to worry about

BERLIN, June 27 (Reuters) Germany have no plans to man-mark Argentina dangerman Juan Roman Riquelme when they meet in the World Cup quarter-finals, midfielder Torsten Frings said today.

Frings is Germany's main defensive midfielder and will clearly have a role in keeping Riquelme quiet at the Olympiastadion on Friday but he said the hosts could not afford to concentrate their efforts on one man.

''I don't know yet exactly how we'll play but I can't imagine I'll be chasing round after Riquelme for 90 minutes,'' Frings said at a news conference.

''We should just try to pick him up depending on which side of the pitch he's on.

''We can't make the mistake of pinning everything on Riquelme.

They have a very good all round team and we have to share the defensive work between all of us.'' Germany and Argentina have identical records in attack and defence at this World Cup. After four games, both have scored 10 and conceded two.

More than half the Argentina goals came in a 6-0 win over Serbia&Montenegro that marked the best attacking display of the tournament and saw the South Americans given the role of favourites.

West Germany and Argentina played each other in successive World Cup finals in 1986 and 1990. Argentina won the first, with Germany gaining revenge four years later.

REUTERS DH RAI2041