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

“The yellow card has not changed. We were notified by FIFA this morning; it has been maintained,” Deschamps told reporters in Foxborough on Wednesday, on the eve of France’s quarterfinal showdown with Morocco at the Boston Stadium.

Olise, 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. Replays showed 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 means Olise is now walking a tightrope — if he is cautioned again against Morocco, he will be suspended for a potential semifinal against Spain or Belgium.

Bradley Barcola and Manu Kone are also at risk of a ban, as they were booked against Paraguay. Deschamps said midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is recovering from a thigh injury and may train today.

Deschamps refused to turn the appointment of Argentinian referee Facundo Tello into a controversy. “There is nothing I can do about refereeing appointments. I just try to have confidence in the officials,” he said.

Deschamps, who led France to World Cup glory in 2018, will step down after the tournament. Thursday’s clash will be his last if Les Bleus lose. “I am not thinking about that at all. The objective is just to do everything we can so that things go well,” he insisted.

Source: www.aljazeera.com