While he has just broken the record for the number of goals scored by a French centre-forward in official matches, it is far less encouraging news that awaits Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema.

The former Lyonnais will be tried on appeal in Versailles in the sextape case on June 30 and July 1, several months before the 2022 World Cup.

In November 2021, he was sentenced by the Versailles Criminal Court (Paris region) to a suspended one-year prison sentence and a fine of 75,000 euros for complicity in attempted blackmail against his former teammate in the France team, Mathieu Valbuena.

He should be present for the call

Karim Benzema did not appear at the hearing at first instance for "professional reasons", justified his lawyer, Antoine Vey.

But Me Vey had added during the deliberation that his client would come to explain himself on appeal.

Karim Benzema will have finished his season with Real Madrid on June 30 and July 1 and will not then be retained in the France team.

This Tuesday, his lawyers did not wish to comment on the date of the appeal trial or confirm his presence before the 9th chamber of the Versailles Court of Appeal.

Karim Benzema is the only one of the five people sentenced for attempted blackmail or complicity against Mathieu Valbuena to have appealed his criminal sanction.

During the judgment, the 7th chamber of the Versailles criminal court had estimated that the player had "personally involved, at the cost of subterfuge and lies, to convince his teammate to submit to blackmail".

The striker showed "no benevolence towards Matthieu Valbuena, quite the contrary" and acted "with a certain excitement, even a certain jubilation", added its president.

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  • Sport

  • Matthew Valbuena

  • Soccer

  • real Madrid

  • French team

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  • Karim Benzema

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