Lucas Digne’s World Cup run will continue into the quarter-finals after France beat Paraguay 1-0 in Philadelphia.
ESPN reported that Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal from the penalty spot as Didier Deschamps’ side reached the last eight.
Reuters reported that France will now face Morocco in the quarter-finals.
For Aston Villa, the result extends Digne’s tournament block and shortens the window before Unai Emery begins full pre-season work with his senior group.
ReadAstonVilla had already flagged the workload question around Digne before the Paraguay tie. France’s win now turns that watch into a practical return-date issue.
Digne remains in competitive rhythm, which Emery will welcome. The left-back will also need recovery time after a deep World Cup run before Villa move towards their own summer schedule.
Villa’s pre-season starts against Walsall on Tuesday, 21 July, before fixtures against Real Sociedad, Indonesia All-Stars, BG Pathum United, Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach. The Premier League’s pre-season schedule lists those dates as part of Villa’s build-up.
Emery now has to manage the balance carefully.
Digne could return sharper from knockout football, but Villa will have less time to reintegrate him before the new domestic season. His France progress gives the club status and match fitness, while also adding another delay to Bodymoor Heath planning.
