Karim Benzema had a very public fallout with the French national team, a scandal that involved him and a group of others in a blackmailing case against fellow national teammate Mathieu Valbuena. That accusation cost Benzema his place on the French national team in 2015 and he was forced to miss the 2016 Euro Cup and 2018 World Cup.
Now six years later the Real Madrid star has returned to the fold and has been nothing short of his great self with the team, Benzema has 6 goals in 11 matches for the World champions.
One player who has been affected by the return of Benzema is AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud who with speaking to L’Equipe discussed what he thinks may be causing a tactical imbalance for the squad.
Olivier Giroud on Karim Benzema
Olivier Giroud (Getty Images)
“It was [Didier] Deschamps’ will. I understand it, but I would have liked to have been warned sooner… I have nothing against Karim, but his return to the national team created a tactical imbalance in our way of playing. It was something evident in some games, which luckily could be fixed quickly, as could be seen in the Nations League. However, it took time. I had no problems with Karim at the European Championship. He has changed and evolved. We ate every day at the same table.”
Since Benzema’s return Giroud has played 5 games with the French national team and scored 2 goals in 2021. In the same interview Giroud discussed his club teammate striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, “I told him that if I didn’t think I could play with him, I would not be there. Ibra never scared me. It is also an opportunity to evolve by his side, to continue learning by someone of such quality. His charisma, his presence in the dressing room and his leadership on the pitch are above all else. When I signed, he said that I was a good rookie, but that he was the only king in Milan.”
