Karim Benzema said he will put his trust in Didier Deschamps and Noël Le Graët when they meet on Wednesday to discuss his future with France ahead of Euro 2016.
The national team coach and president of the French Federation will have to decide whether Benzema is selectable in the wake of the sex-tape blackmail case that has divided the country two months before it hosts the European Championship.
A decision is due by Friday and Benzema, speaking after Real Madrid had knocked Wolfsburg out of the Champions League, said he would be "serene in life, stay quiet and wait" for the announcement while insisting he still wanted to play for France.
“I let them do what they should do and [DECIDE]what’s best,” he told Le Monde. “If I did not want [THE EUROS], a long time ago I would have had a press conference and I would have said I did not want to come in the France team. The France team means a lot to me, especially a Euros at home.
“I have always fought for France team, so we will wait on the president and coach [WHO]I trust.”
The Real Madrid striker was suspended from the national side after being placed under formal investigation in connection with an alleged attempt to blackmail a fellow player, the France midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.
The case concerns an alleged attempt by one of his friends to extort money from Valbuena over a sex tape. He told investigators he approached Valbuena about the tape on behalf of “a childhood friend” but claims he did not think he was doing anything wrong.
His lawyer has insisted he was not party to any blackmail attempt. “He played no part, I repeat no part, in any blackmail or attempted blackmail,” Sylvain Cormier, Benzema’s lawyer, said earlier this year.
Benzema was left out of the France squad for the friendlies against Holland and Russia in March having last played for Les Bleus against Armenia in October. A restriction ordering the 28-year-old not to have any contact with Valbuena was lifted before the players were chosen.
The Lyon midfielder was also left out although that was less surprising, his form having dipped this season.
France’s sports minister, Patrick Kanner, had suggested it was too soon to recall the 81-cap striker insisting “human values must be taken into consideration”.
The prime minister, Manuel Valls, echoed that call at the time by telling Radio Monte Carlo: “The conditions for Karim Benzema to return to the France team have not been met at the moment.”
Guardian services
