Real Madrid have issued a statement supporting their striker Karim Benzema after he was placed under formal judicial investigation in connection with an alleged attempt to blackmail a fellow footballer over a sex tape.
Benzema arrived back in the Spanish capital on Thursday evening following his appearance before a judge in France and having been left out of the national squad for the games with Germany and England later this month.
Investigators in France will now determine whether Benzema played a role in the alleged extortion attempt against Mathieu Valbuena, the France and Lyon midfielder. Valbuena was also left out of the national squad with the coach, Didier Deschamps, saying he was not in the right emotional state to play.
Real Madrid said: “Karim Benzema returned to training this evening at Real Madrid City after making a statement to the French authorities in Versailles. The Real Madrid president, Florentino Pérez, held a meeting with the player in which he gave him his full support and expressed his confidence that his actions were in good faith and that he is completely innocent.
“The club values and recognises the professional commitment, the displays of camaraderie with his team-mates and the impeccable attitude he has shown as a core member of the first-team squad for the more than six seasons that he has been a part of Real Madrid.”
Benzema could theoretically come into consideration for Real’s next game away at Sevilla on Sunday although he has been carrying a thigh injury and may not be fit enough to play, having been left out of Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Benzema arrived smiling and waving at the cameras at 5.10pm in Valdebebas, where the club’s training ground known as Real Madrid City is situated. His lawyer had earlier insisted Benzema was innocent and took no part in any blackmail. “He played no part, I repeat no part, in any blackmail or attempted blackmail,” Sylvain Cormier said.
The Versailles prosecutor had said the alleged crime of conspiracy to blackmail and participating in a criminal group for which he was being investigated could carry a prison sentence of at least five years. Benzema was placed under judicial supervision, meaning he cannot meet with the victim or other people charged in the case.
The Real Madrid striker admitted involvement in the alleged extortion case, telling investigators he approached the fellow footballer about the tape on behalf of “a childhood friend” but claims he did not think he was harming the other player. A source close to the investigation told AFP that Benzema had admitted while he was in custody that he had spoken to the player who was the alleged target of the sex tape.
“Karim Benzema has admitted speaking to [him] at the request of a childhood friend, who was approached by three blackmailers who were in possession of the sex tape,” the source told AFP. “Benzema said he had agreed with his childhood friend on what he should say so that his team-mate would negotiate exclusively with him.”
The three alleged blackmailers, who are all in custody, had first contacted a friend of Benzema’s brother seeking to involve the player in their extortion attempt, a source said.
Detectives had detained Benzema for questioning a fortnight after the former France and Liverpool striker Djibril Cissé was interviewed and released as part of the same investigation.
Three suspects said to be in the “entourage” of several footballers have been officially mis en examen – the French equivalent of being charged – since October.
The police investigation into the alleged blackmail attempt was opened at the end of July. Cissé was interviewed and immediately released from further inquiries. He spoke of his innocence on French television, saying he had nothing to do with the case. He later announced his retirement from the game.
