French court rejects Karim Benzema's request to drop sex tape case

Karim Benzema

Paris: A French court yesterday rejected a request from Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema to drop the investigation into alleged blackmail over a sex tape featuring international teammate Mathieu Valbuena, a lawyer said.

"We are pretty astonished because the decision is to reject our requests for the investigation to be cancelled," said Serge Money, who represents another suspect. The case, which cost Benzema a place in France's Euro 2016 squad on home soil, is now expected to go to trial next year.