Star Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema says he knows why France manager Didier Deschamps left him off the host nation’s roster for the Euro 2016 global soccer tournament.
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Earlier this week, former France worldwide Eric Cantona suggested that Deschamps had left Benzema out of his squad, along with Nice forward, Hatem Ben Arfa, due to their ethnic backgrounds.
Benzema was suspended from worldwide duty in December over a legal investigation into an alleged attempt by one of his friends to blackmail France global Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape. But I don’t know whether it’s an individual decision by Deschamps because I get on well with him and with the president (of the French Football Association).
“This is not a good debate for France. Maybe he is the only one in France to have a truly French name”, Cantona said. Now, I am available for selection, if they want me, but it isn’t a problem for me.
I can’t see Benzema’s comments affecting the harmony of the French squad, considering Benzema isn’t even there!
The players in the squad know that Deschamps has picked them for their footballing abilities and how they act within a squad environment. “He has only said that Deschamps’ decision was influenced by the public opinion, which is the result of the current political climate in France”.
While Benzema is said to be the cause of Giroud’s rejection from fans, he remains perplexed at why supporters boo instead of encouraging him ahead of the Euros. “I like football and here is the best”.
“There are a lot of coloured people, or people of different origins, in the team”, Coman told a press conference at a team training camp in Austria. It is only normal that he thinks like a French citizen before thinking like a player. Former France coach Raymond Domenech left him out of his squad in the wake of another scandal, when Benzema and teammate Franck Ribery were handed preliminary charges for soliciting an underage prostitute.
The staff of the national team has known that Benzema would not take part in EURO 2016 pretty much since December but certainly since March, so they have been preparing for life without the 28-year-old.
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“Deschamps seems to be willing to sue me”. He travels to Turin where he expects to play against Juventus in a key Uefa Champions League game, but he is kept on the bench, the first European game in six that he has not started after his substantial €25 million (Dh102.4m) summer move from Real Sociedad. “He will find out whether it’s easy”, he added. I don’t have scores to settle. Just last week, Eric Cantona, who was celebrating his 50 birthday, gave a scathing interview.
