Alejandro Sabella: 'Germany favourites for World Cup final'

Argentina manager Alejandro Sabella has suggested that Germany's extra day of rest will give them an advantage in the World Cup final at the Maracana on Sunday.

The South Americans needed a penalty shootout to beat Netherlands on Wednesday and set up a showdown with Germany, who thrashed Brazil 24 hours earlier.

Joachim Low's side could afford to cruise through the second half of their match with the hosts in Belo Horizonte, having scored five goals before the interval, while Argentina had to play 120 minutes for the second time in the knockout stages.

"Some of our players are sore, beaten, tired - the results of a war, so to speak," Sabella told reporters. "We have a final to play, with one day less to prepare and against a team like Germany, but with work, humility and seriousness, we'll do all we can to make it all the way to the top.

"We'll see if it's a minor issue, the fact we played after and the Germany game was decided in the first 45 minutes, so they could ease off in the second half, whereas we had to spend all the effort, and every last drop of sweat to reach the World Cup final."

Argentina last reached the World Cup final in 1990, when they lost to Germany.