Is Benzema one of the most underrated footballers?
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(CNN) -
A sex tape, an alleged blackmail and two French soccer stars: The trial of French striker Karim Benzema began this Wednesday, and as expected, it draws attention.
Benzema, who plays for Real Madrid, faces a charge of "complicity in attempted blackmail" against his former teammate of the French team and current Olympiacos midfielder, Mathieu Valbuena, according to the documents of the Versailles prosecution.
Benzema, 33, did not appear at the hearing on Wednesday, at the beginning of the trial, Reuters reported.
He is accused along with four other men who allegedly tried to blackmail midfielder Valbuena for a video with sexual content in which the athlete appeared.
Benzema is accused of pressuring Valbuena (his then teammate on the French national team) to pay blackmailers to prevent the video from being made public.
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According to prosecution documents, in 2015, Valbuena received an anonymous call at the French team's training ground outside Paris.
The caller intended to "reach an agreement" with him about the alleged video, but would only do so if the footballer appointed a trusted intermediary.
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Instead of complying, Valbuena filed a police report, after which the footballer claims to have received more calls and messages from the anonymous blackmailer, reiterating the need for a trusted intermediary to "solve this problem," according to prosecution documents.
Complicity in attempted blackmail
If convicted, Benzema faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a possible fine of 75,000 euros ($ 87,000), according to prosecutors.
Of the five men tried, Benzema is the only defendant facing the lesser charge of "complicity in attempted blackmail."
The other four men face one charge of "attempted blackmail", including two who could face harsher penalties for having already committed a similar or identical crime.
Benzema charged with complicity in blackmail with sex video
Unlike Benzema, Valbuena was present at the first hearing of the trial.
His lawyer, Paul-Albert Iweins, told CNN that "he has always asked for a public trial so that this case allows the public to fully understand that he is the victim of the facts that are being tried."
Valbuena currently plays for Olimpiacos in Greece.
(Photo: UEFA - Handout / UEFA via Getty Images)
On the other side, Benzema's lawyer, Sylvain Cormier, told CNN: "We hope that the trial will finally bring to light the absurdity of the accusations against Karim Benzema."
When the investigation began, Benzema denied the allegations.
Return to the France team
In the framework of this case, Benzema was subjected to a formal investigation in November 2015, according to prosecution documents, and shortly after was suspended from the French national team, about seven months before the 2016 European Championship.
The president of the French Football Federation (FFF), Noel Le Graet, made the "personal decision" to exclude Benzema from the team, following his alleged involvement in the blackmail of Valbuena.
About five years after the initial police report, Benzema was reinstated to the French national team for Euro 2020, in which the Bleus were eliminated on penalties by Switzerland.
Benzema scored four goals in the tournament.
Benzema also played in the Nations League final last week against Spain, where France lifted the trophy.
Karim BenzemaMathieu Valbuena