Real Madrid attacker Karim Benzema has accused French football teams coach of “bowing to the pressure of a racist part of France”, after he was left out of the national squad for EURO 2016.
Benzema was left out of the Les Bleus squad for the tournament after he was charged with conspiracy to blackmail Mathieu Valbuena last year, Benzema was allegedly trying to extort money from his former international teammate.
Benzema told Spanish newspaper Marca that there was no sporting reason to leave him out of the squad.
France’s national football federation had taken the decision to omitt Benzema from the squad and the Madrid superstar thinks his former coach gave in to the pressure by not selecting him.
He said: “He Deschamps has bowed to the pressure of a racist part of France. He has to know that in France the extremist party reached the second round in the last two elections.
“I do not know, therefore, whether it is a decision only for Didier because I’ve gotten along with him, with the president, everyone.”
Benzema had a very good season with the Spanish giants, helping them lift the Champions League and securing a second place finish in La Liga.
He said: “In sporting terms, I do not understand why. At the judicial level, I have not been judged. I am not guilty, so we have to wait to see what the justice says.
“I like football and to play with my team.”