Deschamps unfazed by Argentine officials ahead of France-Morocco quarter-final

France head coach Didier Deschamps has dismissed concerns over the appointment of Argentinian officials for his side's Fifa World Cup quarter-final against Morocco, insisting that the team's focus must remain on the opposition rather than the referee.

"We have to deal with it. I trust the referees. Our opponent is Morocco, not the referee," Deschamps said, according to a report by The Guardian.

Argentine referee Facundo Tello will oversee the quarter-final, with two Argentine assistant referees, an Argentine reserve assistant and an Argentine fourth official also part of the match officials' team. 

The appointment drew attention as France could potentially face Argentina again in the final after their dramatic 2022 World Cup showdown.

Deschamps, however, brushed aside suggestions that the nationality of the officials could become a factor, while also taking a pointed swipe at criticism directed at French referee François Letexier after Argentina's last-16 victory over Egypt.

"Let's hope ours are as good as Monsieur Letexier was," he said.

The France coach also rejected questions from Moroccan media about a possible penalty incident involving Sofiane Boufal during the 2022 World Cup semi-final between the two teams.

The appointment has renewed discussions about the rivalry between France and Argentina following their dramatic 2022 final in Qatar, which Argentina won on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

France goalkeeper Robin Risser acknowledged the lingering tension between the two sides but played down concerns over the officials.

"There's been a certain bitterness for a few years now since the last final, but that's part of the game," Risser said. "If these referees are there, it's because they're up to the level of the competition."

Meanwhile, Deschamps warned that Morocco will pose a serious challenge, saying the African side cannot be compared with France's last-16 opponents Paraguay.

"They don't have the profile of Paraguay," he said. "We will need to be very effective because this Morocco is of very high quality. The level rises as you climb the mountain. Mindset doesn't win matches but it can make you lose them."

Morocco reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup after defeating Portugal and Spain before losing to France, but head coach Mohamed Ouahbi insisted the upcoming match should not be viewed through the lens of that previous encounter.

"The Morocco side and the France side have both evolved, and the level of both is improved compared to four years ago," Ouahbi said.

He also played down suggestions that Morocco face disadvantages due to travel demands during the tournament, saying their route was determined by the draw and that finishing second in their group contributed to their schedule.

With Deschamps set to leave his role after the tournament, the quarter-final could mark one of his final matches in charge of France.

"The goal is to do everything to make sure it goes well. That is the only thing driving me," he said.