Karim Benzema issues defiant denial over Mathieu Valbuena sex tape blackmail accusations

Karim Benzema has given a defiant response to accusations that he was involved in an alleged extortion plot over a sex tape involving France international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.

The Real Madrid striker is facing charges of conspiracy to blackmail relating to the alleged plot.

Benzema spoke out for the first time on Wednesday night in an interview conducted the day before that was broadcast on French TV channel TF1’s flagship news show.

Benzema spoke about the conversation he had with Valbuena relating to the affair in the France training camp during an international get-together in October.

“I’d heard there was a video out there. I said I’d let him know. But I got the impression he already knew about it.

“I told him I could help him because I have a friend in Lyon [Benzema’s childhood friend Karim Zenati] that could deal with the problem.

“We spoke about it. I asked him if he had warned his family. I told him I’d found myself in situations like this in the past and that I’d told the police. He [Valbuena] told me he had told the police about it.

“Then afterwards, when I hear all this talk about extortion, and that I’d demanded money from him – it makes me angry. The idea that I would need money, or my friend would need money – it’s ridiculous. I’ve earned a good living for a long time. I don’t need money. We never, never spoke about money.”

Asked if he understood why Valbuena has said he is “very disappointed” in him he replied: “I understand. But that night, he wasn’t disappointed. On the contrary. He said to me – and he could tell you this himself – ‘thanks, brother, for having warned me.’”

Benzema also hit back at French prime minister Manuel Valls for saying this week that Benzema had "no place" in the France team .

“I’m getting accused of all sorts of things. They’re dragging my name through the mud as if I was a criminal. It’s horrible.”

He added: “The only thing I regret in this whole thing is to have laughed about it on the phone with my childhood friend [Zenati]. That’s the only thing. I apologise to him [Valbuena] and his family for that. On the phone you act silly; sometimes you laugh about things that may be serious, but you don’t take them seriously.”