BUENOS AIRES: Diego Maradona would prefer not to take his Argentina team to Russia for a friendly next month when he has a critical World Cup qualifier against Brazil on his mind.

Argentina meet Russia in Moscow on Aug 12 but Maradona said in an interview published on Monday that he does not see it as a useful warmup for the home qualifier against Brazil on Sept 5.

"I don't like having to play with Russia. We must prepare the team for Brazil but in the middle we've got this match that is of no use," Maradona told the sports daily Ole.