On Wednesday November 24, the Versailles Criminal Court found the Real Madrid striker guilty of complicity in the offense of attempted blackmail. The French international who plays at Real Madrid was sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros.
Six years after the start of the Mathieu Valbuena sextape affair and nearly a month after his criminal trial, Karim Benzema was sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence and a € 75,000 fine.
The French star’s duty to set an example
The Real Madrid striker, who did not attend the three-day trial last month due to his club’s sports agenda, according to his lawyers, was also not present when the deliberation was read. Tonight, Real play in the evening a Champions League match on the lawn of Sheriff Tiraspol, in Moldova.
For his alleged involvement in the sextape affair, an intimate video blackmail against the footballer Mathieu Valbuena in 2015, the prosecution had requested against him 10 months suspended sentence and 75,000 euros fine. During the indictment, prosecutors recalled the French star’s duty to set an example, “ bearer of an image, hope, notoriety and moral values ».
« Karim Benzema became personally involved with insistence in trying to convince Mathieu Valbuena to meet his man of confidence », Explained the court.
Still in the French team?
The Blues striker’s lawyers immediately announced that their client was appealing the judgment. Against the four other defendants in this case which shook the world of French football, the correctional court of Versailles pronounced sentences ranging from eighteen months of imprisonment suspended to two and a half years in prison.
The conviction should not call into question the return of Benzema in the France team, he who had been sidelined several years before returning to the last Euro in the summer of 2021. Whatever happens, ” Benzema will not be excluded in relation to a possible judicial sanction “, Warned the president of the French Football Federation Noël Le Graët on November 10 in the daily Le Parisien.
« Even if he receives a suspended prison sentence, he still has the option of appealing a conviction. So his summons, or not, in the next few months will not be linked to this judgment. », Said Noël Le Graët. Difficult for the Blues to imagine depriving themselves of the prolific striker, in the running for the prestigious Ballon d’Or awarded next Monday.
« We all agree that his return was marked by his performances and his statistics. What he achieves is remarkable. He wants to continue his adventure in Blue, a World Cup is a special moment », Pointed out his captain Hugo Lloris at the last meeting.
The top French scorer of the 2014 edition in Brazil (three goals) wants to play a second World Cup, in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022, with the jersey of the reigning world champions on the back.