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Home , Didier Deschamps, Karim Benzema, Mathieu Valbuena, Olivier Giroud, Wissam Ben Yedder

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THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021 Benzema recalled by for Euro 2020 after six-year exile

PARIS: was named in France’s pro- Football Federation (FFF) and Deschamps for not visional Euro 2020 squad by on selecting him. He said racism was a possible factor Tuesday, giving the Real Madrid striker a shock in his exclusion from the Euro 2016 squad, while he international recall after years in the wilderness criticized FFF president Noel Le Graet after missing over his alleged role in a blackmail plot. out on the World Cup. He said, in comments direct- The 33-year-old has not played for France since ed towards Le Graet, in November 2019: “If you October 2015, but is now set to line up alongside think I’m done, let me play with one of the other World Cup winners Kylian Mbappe and Antoine countries I am eligible for and we’ll see.” Griezmann at the delayed European Championship. Le Graet insisted he was pleased to see Benzema “So proud of this return to the France team and return, saying: “If the return to the group of Karim of the trust placed in me,” Benzema said on Twitter. Benzema may have surprised some, I am delighted. “Thank you to my family, my friends, my club... and “I think it is an excellent decision, given his talent to all those who have always supported me and give and his remarkable performances in recent months.” me strength every day.” Benzema’s coach at Real Madrid, Zinedine Benzema, who has scored 27 goals for France in Zidane, the star of the France team Deschamps cap- 81 appearances, was named as this ’s best tained to victory in the 1998 World Cup and Euro French player playing abroad by the country’s play- 2000, said in March that he was bewildered by the ers’ association earlier on Tuesday. He has netted 29 continued exile. “How can you understand it? I times for Real Madrid this term, passing 20 league don’t understand it, you don’t understand it, there goals in all three seasons since are many people who don’t understand it,” Zidane left the Santiago Bernabeu for Juventus in 2018. said. Benzema sits fifth on Real Madrid’s all-time “How was it done? We made contact, we fixed an goalscoring list. appointment and we saw each other,” said Deschamps. “I never said anything bad about him Sextape scandal on a human level. From the start, there was a rela- The former forward had not been selected tionship of trust. We are not going to go back over since the sextape scandal involving his former inter- what happened.” national teammate broke in 2015. France kick off their Euro 2020 campaign His hopes of a recall seemed to recede in January, against three-time winners Germany in Munich on when French prosecutors said they had decided to June 15, face in four days later send Benzema and four others for trial. and finish their Group F schedule against holders The case revolves round a plot to extort money Portugal on June 23. from Valbuena by threatening to make a sex video Les Bleus have impressed at major tournaments public. “Everyone has the right to make mistakes,” without Benzema, reaching the Euro 2016 final on said Deschamps. UEFA is allowing nations to name home soil before losing to Portugal and lifting their 26 players instead of the normal 23 for the Euro to second World Cup three years ago in , relieve the pressure of potential Covid-19 cases, SAINT-DENIS: In this file photo taken on September 4, 2014 French forward Karim Benzema strikes during the friendly defeating 4-2 in the final. “The (final) deci- Benzema will be vying for a place in the starting football match France vs Spain, at the in Saint-Denis, north of . — AFP sion was taken today, but in my head, it was a long XI with Chelsea striker . For a while, time ago,” added Deschamps. “With my staff, there Benzema targeted Giroud on social media saying Yet in recent weeks the two men have been forward in the squad, but has were a lot of discussions, they also had a feeling.” that while he was a car, the 34-year- complimenting each other and insisting there is left out World Cup-winning center-back Samuel Benzema has repeatedly hit out at the French old Giroud was a “go-kart”. no feud. Deschamps also named in-form Umtiti. — AFP