Benzema probed in Valbuena case
Real Madrid have released a statement insisting that club president Florentino Perez “fully supports” Karim Benzema after the striker was charged in connection to a sex-tape blackmail plot involving Mathieu Valbuena. He has been released but remains under judicial supervision and is prohibited from contacting Valbuena or any other individuals involved in the case.
Benzema has admitted a role in an attempt by three blackmailers to get 150,000 euros ($163,000) from the 31-year-old Lyon midfielder for a leaked sex tape of him. Valbuena was also left out of the squad with the coach, Didier Deschamps, saying he was not in the right emotional state to play.
Benzema, 27, was questioned by French prosecutors Wednesday and held for the night.
The ex-France worldwide was understood to be one of four men under investigation by French police.
Involvement in a blackmail plot can attract a five-year prison sentence in France.
According to French press reports, Benzema came to the attention of French investigators in October after he mentioned the tape to Valbuena when the pair trained in France ahead of global matches against Armenia and Denmark.
Deschamps said: “Mathieu has not been performing as well with Lyon, but you understand he is not in the best condition psychologically”.
“Karim Benzema has admitted intervening with Valbuena at the request of a childhood friend who had been approached by three crooks who had in their possession a sex tape”.
“Karim wishes to put an end to all the polemics that have emerged following this case, in which he has played no part whatsoever”, lawyer Sylvain Cormier told AFP.
The Real Madrid and France star arrived at the police station in Versailles, near Paris, early on Wednesday and was placed in detention, the local prosecutor confirmed, without giving further information.
For Benzema, it’s not the first time he has faced problems off the field.
Karim Benzema has had previous issues with the French police after he and Franck Ribery were cleared of accusations that they had slept with an underage prostitute.