The Deschamps trial against Cantona will take place. The hearing is scheduled for February 28 before the 17th chamber of the Paris tribunal de grande instance, according to information from the YouTube Network Foot channel, which we obtained confirmation from Me Brusa, lawyer for the Blues coach.
A few days after the publication of an interview with Eric Cantona in the British daily newspaper The Guardian, Didier Deschamps had filed a complaint, on June 3, 2016, for defamation against his ex-teammate of the France team, in full controversy over Karim Benzema's non-selection for the European Nations Championship which was to start a week later.
Indicted for defamation
"Benzema is a great player," said the ex-King of Manchester United in the Guardian article published on May 26, 2016. Ben Arfa is a great player. But Deschamps has such a French name. He is perhaps the only Frenchman to have a real French name. No one in his family mixed with anyone. Like Mormons in the United States. So I'm not surprised that he used Benzema's situation not to take him (Editor's note: the Real Madrid striker had been indicted a few months earlier for "complicity in the blackmail attempt" in the case from Mathieu Valbuena's sextape) . Especially after Valls said he shouldn't be playing for France. And Ben Arfa is perhaps the best player in France today. But they have origins. I have the right to think about that. "
The Guardian journalist relaunches him to find out if he implies that Didier Deschamps practices racial discrimination as part of his job as coach of the France team. "Maybe yes, maybe no," Canto says. Why not ? One thing is certain: Benzema and Ben Arfa are two of the best French players and they will not play the Euro. And certainly, Benzema and Ben Arfa have North African origins. So the debate is open. "
Eric Cantona, 53, was charged with defamation in this case in November 2017.