Paraguay vs France – Match preview and team news
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Didier Deschamps’ men will look to continue their goalscoring form that has seen them create a record of becoming the first team to score three goals in five consecutive World Cup matches as they face Paraguay in the Round of 16 on Saturday at the Philadelphia Stadium.
Paraguay vs France – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 4th July.
- Kick-off: 10pm BST.
- Venue: Philadelphia Stadium, Pennsylvania, USA.
Paraguay team news
Paraguay receives a massive boost as influential midfielder Diego Gómez returns to the squad.
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The Brighton player is fully fresh after serving an automatic one-match suspension during the dramatic, historic penalty-shootout victory over Germany.
However, La Albirroja remains depleted in defence, as Sunderland centre-back Omar Alderete is still sidelined with a knee injury sustained during the final group-stage match.
In his absence, José Canale will continue his partnership with captain Gustavo Gómez in central defence to neutralise the French attack.
Fitness concerns also linger in the forward line, where key attackers Julio Enciso and Gabriel Ávalos are carrying minor knocks from their gruelling tournament run.
Despite these physical setbacks, both players are fully expected to play through the pain barrier and lead the attack together as Paraguay chases another major upset in the knockout rounds.
France team news
France faces a major selection headache ahead of their Round of 16 clash in Philadelphia.
Midfield anchor Aurélien Tchouaméni has been ruled out after suffering a late thigh injury just hours before kickoff.
The Real Madrid star’s absence forces a midfield reshuffle, with Manu Koné widely expected to deputise alongside Adrien Rabiot in the double pivot.
Further up front, forward Marcus Thuram remains highly doubtful as he continues to nurse a persistent calf injury, making his inclusion in the starting eleven unlikely.
Additionally, manager Didier Deschamps is weighing potential rotations to manage squad fitness.
Ousmane Dembélé could be rested, which would open the door for younger talents like Désiré Doué or Bradley Barcola to start on the flanks.
They will look to provide crucial width and pace alongside creative playmaker Michael Olise and star talisman Kylian Mbappé.
Form
Paraguay
Paraguay heads into this matchup full of momentum despite a highly inconsistent tournament run. After a heavy 4-1 opening defeat to the United States, La Albirroja tightened up defensively, securing a 1-0 win over Turkey and a 0-0 draw against Australia. They pulled off the shock of the tournament in the Round of 32, frustrating Germany in a 1-1 draw before eliminating them 4-3 on penalties.
France
France is in spectacular form, entering the Round of 16 with five consecutive victories. Didier Deschamps’ side enjoyed a perfect group-stage campaign, comfortably brushing aside Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. They continued their dominant run in the Round of 32 by thrashing Sweden 3-0. Les Bleus look remarkably balanced and clinical, having scored 13 goals while conceding only twice throughout the entire tournament.
Predicted lineups
Paraguay: Gill; Caceres, G. Gomez, Canale, Alonso; Galarza, Cubas, D. Gomez; Almiron, Avalos, Enciso
France: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Doue, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe
How to watch Paraguay vs France?
In the United Kingdom, you can watch the Paraguay vs France match live for free on BBC One.
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