France lose appeal against Olise’s booking at World Cup

France midfielder Michael Olise (left) picked up a yellow card during the bad-tempered clash in the last-16 win over Paraguay. (EPA images pic)

FOXBOROUGH: France coach Didier Deschamps revealed Wednesday that an appeal against a yellow card shown to Michael Olise in the World Cup last-16 win over Paraguay had been rejected by Fifa.

Olise, who has been one of the tournament’s standout stars, was booked in the final minutes of the bad-tempered clash in Philadelphia after an altercation with Matias Galarza.

“The yellow card has not changed. We were notified by Fifa this morning, it has been maintained,” Deschamps told reporters in Foxborough, on the eve of France’s quarter-final showdown with Morocco at the Gillette Stadium.

Replays showed there was little contact between the two players. Bayern Munich star Olise put his finger in front of his mouth and the Paraguayan player dropped to the ground, claiming he had been hit in the face.

The decision by world football’s governing body to uphold the booking means Olise is now walking a tightrope – if he is cautioned again against Morocco, he will be suspended for a potential semi-final against Spain or Belgium.

Bradley Barcola and Manu Kone are at risk of a ban too after they were also booked against Paraguay.

Deschamps said midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni was recovering well from a thigh injury that ruled him out of the game against Paraguay.

“Aurelien is doing better. I can’t say more than that. He will maybe take part in training today but I will need to see. The others are all available,” he said of the Real Madrid player.

The France head coach refused to turn the appointment of an Argentine referee for the game into a controversy.

Facundo Tello will take charge of Thursday’s last-eight tie. A rivalry between France and Argentina grew out of their 2022 World Cup final meeting, which the latter won on penalties.

French official Francois Letexier was in charge for Argentina’s 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16 on Tuesday. The Egyptian Football Association said it had filed a complaint following some controversial decisions in that game.

“There is nothing I can do about refereeing appointments. I just try to have confidence in the officials,” Deschamps said.

“I hope that Mr Tello and his assistants will be just as good as Mr Letexier and his assistants.

“There are always decisions that can lead to debate depending on which side you are on, but our opponents are Morocco. I can’t consider the referee to be an opponent.”

Deschamps, who led France to World Cup glory in 2018, will step down at the end of the tournament after 14 years in charge.

That means Thursday’s clash – a repeat of the 2022 semi-final, which France won 2-0 – will be his last if Les Bleus lose.

“I am not thinking about that at all. In my head, with my staff, the objective is just to do everything we can so that things go well. I am focused on this Morocco team and on things going well for us,” he insisted.