Karim Benzema told judge that his role sex tape blackmail scandal was 'a misunderstanding'

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema told a judge that his alleged part in a blackmail plot involving France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena was "a big misunderstanding". Benzema, 27, finds himself at the centre of a story that has rocked French football in recent weeks. Benzema was subsequently charged and appeared in front of a judge.

Now, ahead of the striker's appearance on French television channel TF1 on Wednesday evening, Le Monde has published the transcript of his responses to questions posed by Versailles judge Nathalie Boutard on November 5. 

 

Benzema insisted he was attempting to help Valbuena, claiming that he himself had previously been the victim of a similar conspiracy.

"I didn't participate in this," Benzema told judge Nathalie Boutard.
"I think it's a big misunderstanding. From the start, I wanted to let him know about this story involving him and help him. Because people have already done that to me, the same type of thing. Anyone who plays for France with me is a friend. I wanted to talk to him, let him know that it also happened to me and see what he thought.

Asked how he found out about the existence of the tape involving Valbuena, Benzema said:

 "I don't recall the exact date, but just before the France-Armenia match. About three weeks before [the squad met up]. I was in Madrid, at a lunch. Someone approached to give me a Louis Vuitton cushion and told me about Mathieu Valbuena's video. I didn't know the person.
"He offers me the cushion, sits down and says hello. But I don't listen to him because I don't know him. He says that there is a video of Mathieu Valbuena – a hot video. At that moment, I told him, 'Stop right there, I don't want to hear about it'. The person stayed, we continued eating and went our separate ways."

Benzema was then asked about his interaction with Valbuena.

"It was couple of days before the France-Armenia game. I saw him at Clairefontaine," Benzema continued.
"After a meal, I saw him in my room and told him I should talk to him about something. It was just us two. I started talking to him about this video out there of him. When I told him I was on his side and could help him (I told him this had already happened to me), he asked me questions about these kind of situations. I told him it was all down to him, that he should decide. I told him there was someone who could try to help: Mr Zenati.
"At the beginning, [Valbuena] seemed very annoyed. He asked me what they wanted. I told him I didn't know, that I was only trying to help and nothing else. He told me he had told his family, that he would look into it with his lawyer and that he had already gone to the police. I went back to Spain and he told me he'd let me know if he wanted to keep dealing with it all alone or whether he wanted my friend's help. But he was already up to date with the story."

Asked if he wished to add anything, Benzema admitted he was frustrated at the whole affair.

"I am very disappointed by the size of this story because blackmail and things like that are really serious," he said. "To find myself in a situation like this, with a team-mate who I get on with, is disappointing."