FIFA Rejects France's Appeal, Upholds Yellow Card Against French Star Ahead Of World Cup Quarterfinal

France will renew their rivalry with Morocco in a crunch FIFA World Cup quarterfinal at Boston Stadium. Morocco will try to avenge their defeat in the 2022 World Cup semifinal, but Les Bleus have been one of the most consistent teams in this edition of the FIFA World Cup.

French Star In Danger Of Missing Out On World Cup Semifinal

France will likely start the quarterfinal against Morocco as one of the favourites, but at least one of their star players is in danger of missing out on a place in the semifinal should they get the better of the Moroccan team. Michael Olise was booked in the added time due to his clash with Matias Galarza in the Round of 16 clash with Paraguay.

Galarza fell to the ground holding his face, although the replay showed the Bayern Munich winger merely held his shirt. France appealed to overturn Olise's yellow card, but FIFA didn't intervene and upheld the on-field referee's decision. French coach Didier Deschamps confirmed the news in the pre-match press conference.

“The yellow card has not changed. We were notified by FIFA this morning, it has been maintained.”

Should Olise stay clear of any yellow card in the Morocco clash, France will heave a sigh of relief, as all the cards will be wiped out in the quarters.

Morocco To Miss Star Player Against France

Morocco have been dealt a significant blow as star forward Ismael Saibari has been sidelined due to a hamstring injury and will miss the France tie. Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed that Saibari will not be available against Les Bleus, though he expressed hope that the Bayern Munich star would be available should Morocco progress further into the tournament.

Saibari sustained the injury during Morocco’s emphatic 3‑0 victory over Canada in the Round of 16, and he hobbled off in the 22nd minute only to be replaced by Soufiane Rahimi.

Also Read: Morocco Suffer Huge Blow Ahead Of Crucial France Clash, Ismael Saibari Ruled Out Of Quarter-Finals With Hamstring Injury