France manager Didier Deschamps has turned down a request from his players regarding the team mascot, an issue that briefly threatened to disrupt preparations ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster World Cup quarter-final clash with England.

Les Bleus are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in the tournament when they take on the Three Lions at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Deschamps revealed during Friday’s pre-match press conference that his squad had made a specific request concerning the mascot—one he ultimately declined.

“Yes, they made a request but I didn’t think it was necessary,” Deschamps told reporters, without elaborating on the nature of the request. “The most important thing is to be focused on the match and not on these things.”

The France camp has also been dealing with fitness concerns surrounding captain Kylian Mbappé, who missed their previous game due to an injury. While Deschamps previously downplayed the severity of the issue, the manager declined to confirm whether his star forward would be available for the quarter-final encounter. He also stated that defender Ibrahima Konaté would be unable to train with the squad on Friday.

France hold an unbeaten record against England in their last three meetings across all competitions, though the two sides have never faced each other in a World Cup knockout match. The winner will advance to the semi-finals, where they will face either Brazil or Portugal.

Deschamps acknowledged the quality of the opposition, saying: “I think the England team is a solid team, they have great individualities and are tough to beat.” He also noted the challenge of facing the Premier League’s best players, adding: “We know how good they are, we’ve been watching them and we’re ready for the battle.”

England’s Harry Kane, who scored twice in the 3-0 win over Paraguay, has been in excellent form, and he also spoke ahead of the fixture. “It’s a massive match for both countries and I think we’ve shown what we can do so far,” the Three Lions captain said. “It will take a big performance to get the win and we’re fully focused on delivering that.”

Manager Gareth Southgate echoed his captain’s confidence in a pre-match interview. “We always enjoy playing against the best teams in the world and France are one of them,” he said. “The boys are confident and we are prepared for it.”