This reversal makes final the sentence pronounced at first instance, in November 2021, against the center forward of Real Madrid. He had been sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 75,000 euros for complicity in attempted blackmail against his former teammate in the France team, Mathieu Valbuena.

Five convicts in total

The 34-year-old was the only one of the five convicted of attempted blackmail or complicity to have appealed his criminal sanction. He was to be retried on June 30 and July 1 before the 9th chamber of the Versailles Court of Appeal. In its judgment, the Versailles Criminal Court had estimated that the footballer had “personally involved, at the cost of subterfuge and lies, to convince his teammate to submit to blackmail“.

Benzema, who has always claimed his innocence in this affair, stayed away from the Blues for more than five years before making a surprise return to Didier Deschamps’ team before Euro 2021. He is now one of the indisputable executives of the tricolor selection which calls into play its title of world champion in November in Qatar.

(With AFP)