Benzema refuses to give up on France
FROZEN-OUT star forward Karim Benzema wants showdown talks with France coach Didier Deschamps about his international future and said on Thursday he hasn't given up hope of a recall.
The 29-year-old Real Madrid striker has not been picked by Deschamps since October 2015 after being embroiled in a sex-tape blackmail scandal involving former international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.
It cost him a place in France's Euro 2016 squad and with Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann now the undisputed first-choice forward for France, Benzema remains out in the cold.
But with the World Cup in Russia next year, he hasn't given up hope.
“For now I haven’t ended my international career, I don’t want to give up,” Benzema told RMC radio station.
“It’s tough (to be left out) when you play in a big club. Me, I love football, the big matches. The national team is top-class matches.”
Benzema was booted out of the squad, along with Valbuena — the victim of alleged FORMER German soccer great Franz Beckenbauer was questioned by Swiss prosecutors on Thursday as part of their investigation into his country’s successful bid for the 2006 World Cup.
The Swiss Attorney General’s Office (OAG) opened criminal proceedings against Beckenbauer and three other former high-ranking German soccer officials last September. The proceedings related to allegations of fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation.
The OAG confirmed in a statement to Reuters that “Franz Beckenbauer has today been interrogated by federal prosecutors of the Confederation... in Berne” adding that the attempted blackmail — due to the scandal.
In December, a French court rejected Benzema’s request to have the investigation into his alleged involvement dropped and the case is likely to go to trial later this year.
Investigators suspect Benzema of acting as an intermediary between the presumed blackmailers, including one of his childhood friends, and Lyon midfielder Valbuena.
“It’s a year and a half since I played for France, it hurts. I find it unfair because I haven't had an explanation," said the 81-time capped player, who again said he was not guilty.
“What I’d like is to have a discussion with the coach, if it’s for that (the ongoing investigation) or something else.”
Benzema said he last spoke to Deschamps towards the end of last season.
“He told me he wouldn’t pick me. At the time I didn’t need any more explanation than that.
“Now, on reflection, I’d like him to explain why it’s still the case — I ask myself that every day.” — AFP 71-year-old had been “cooperative.”
Beckenbauer has previously admitted to making mistakes but has denied wrongdoing.
Widely regarded as one of the game’s finest players, he captained the West Germany team that won the 1974 World Cup and was coach when they won again in 1990.
The German football federation’s own report into alleged irregularities over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup was published in March last year.
It said that, while there was no evidence of Germany paying Fifa members in return for votes, payments were made to at least one former Fifa official through a web of accounts involving several other firms or individuals, including Beckenbauer. — Reuters