Real Madrid ace Karim Benzema is set to go on trial on in
France on Wednesday after being accused of complicity in the attempted
blackmail of former France teammate Mathieu Valbuena. The case is
infamously known as the “sextape affair” in the football world.

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The 33-year-old striker has been accused of helping the blackmailers
in approaching Mathieu with the motive of pressurising him into giving a large
sum of money. Apart from Benzema, four other men are on trial in the same case.

It all started when Mathieu Valbuena handed his smartphone
to Axel Angot in order to transfer its contents to a different device. The man
is on trial for breach of trust after extracting a sexual footage which
involves Valbuena in a compromising position.

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In 2015, the attacking midfielder was on the receiving end
of several calls which threatened exposure of the footage. The footballer chose
to report the incident to the police.

Djibril Cisse, who shared the dressing room with Mathieu was
also approached by the blackmailers to act as a messenger but he chose to warn
Valbuena of their scheme.

After involving several other middlemen, the blackmailers
reached out to one of Karim Benzema’s friends, Karim Zenati who allegedly aided
the schemers in reaching out to Valbuena with the help of Real Madrid’s star
forward.

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Benzema allegedly reached out to Mathieu in his room at the
national team’s training centre and told him he could introduce him to a person
who would aid in ‘managing’ the video possibly being made public.

He was then heard calling his friend and telling him “He’s
not taking us seriously.” The call was wiretapped by the police. While Karim
claims that he was trying to help his teammate the usage of ‘us’ in the call is
what has gotten him in trouble at the court.

In another conversation Benzema was even heard referring to
Valbuena using a derogatory term for homosexuals. But the forward claims that this
usage was meant in a friendly manner.

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If proven guilty then he can receive a possible sentence of
five years in prison and a fine of 70,000 Euros.

This incident had cost Benzema a place in the national team
for several years. However, he was recalled to the side during this year’s
European championship with France coach Didier Deschamps believing that the
forward has matured as a person.

It remains unclear whether Benzema will attend the trial or
not since he is expected to play for Real Madrid in the side’s Champions League
fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.