Platini: Benzema not a top player

Suspended UEFA President and France great Michel Platini has claimed that Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema “is not a top player”.

Benzema’s participation at Euro 2016 remains up in the air as he is still suspended from France duty, despite his restraining order on Mathieu Valbuena being lifted, and Platini – whose attendance is also in doubt due to his ban on all football-related activities – questioned the attacker’s importance to Les Bleus.

“There’s a good generation [of French players] and a Coach who knows what he’s doing,” he told BeIN Sports.

“Both of these will allow the French team to do well.

“I’m more sceptical about the case of Karim Benzema. There are players who play for big clubs, but you can’t say that Benzema is a top player.

“He’s very good, but the star of Real Madrid is Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Didier Deschamps will decide, but we must let him decide. He has my confidence.

“Euro 2016 is my child, but I still don’t know if I can go. I’m suspended by FIFA. It’s outrageous, a huge injustice. People wanted me to suffer, but things are like this.

“Maybe people didn’t want me to take the reins of world football because that would mean many changes at FIFA. It’s a shame.”

Tags France Karim Benzema Les Bleus Michel Platini UEFA
La Liga - Club News