Benzema called to trial for accusations of a sex tape blackmail

Karim Benzema

is accused of blackmailing former teammate

Mathieu Valbuena

over a sex-tape and is standing trial.

The ex-Lyon player is accused of plotting money extortion from his ex-teammate before a friendly against Armenia about six years ago.

His charge is being complicit in blackmailing his fellow Frenchman but he did not attend the court when the trial started today, denying any wrongdoing and labelling the charges a “masquerade”.

Instead of dealing with the blackmailers himself, Valbuena decided to take the matter to the authorities and when the accusations were made, Benzema was exiled from France national team.

The 33-year-old was then recalled before the European Champions in the summer by Didier Deschamps.

"

I felt in danger and my instinct was to file a complaint,"

Valbuena told reporters on the first day of the trial on Wednesday.

"Football is my life. I knew that if this video came out it was going to be difficult for me with the French team."

"When he [Benzema] told me he wanted to talk to me, I did not think he would talk to me about that. When I had that conversation, I came out of the room, I was shocked. I felt that he insisted that I meet with a person who was to act as an intermediary. His trusted person (Karim Zenati). He was very insistent."

"It's been six years that we have had this case. I see that everyone is there, almost. Karim is missing. It's a shame, but that's how it is.

"We have been waiting for six years. We are there for the time it takes for all of this to be behind me."

Should Benzema be found guilty, he may be sentenced to jail time up to five years and he will also be fined €75,000 (£63,400).

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