Didier Deschamps has given an interview to le parisien in which he has spoken about various aspects related to the current situation of the French team. The departure of Le Grat, his renewal as coach… but the most controversial point was when they asked him about Karim Benzema and his premature departure from the concentration in Doha before the World Cup in Qatar,
Asked if Karim should have stayed a few more days until he had a firmer diagnosis of his injury, Deschamps said: “It insults us to say that. There is only one truth and Karim knows it well. Karim joined on November 14 after a period of semi-inactivity at the club (his last game with Real Madrid was on November 2 against Celtic, he had played 26 minutes). He followed an individualized program, his return to collective training was postponed. I wasn’t 100 percent sure that he could start the first game against Australia. When Karim was injured, our doctor took him to the Aspetar clinic for an MRI. Karim sent the results to a doctor of his in Madrid who also gave him his opinion. When I got back to the hotel, it was already past midnight. I met Karim in his room with our doctor who had come to give me the MRI report.”
The French coach ensures that the doctor’s diagnosis was clear and also reveals how Benzema’s departure from the French concentration was forged. “Karim is upset because this World Cup meant a lot to him. told me he was dead. In the best of cases, his return to training may not come before December 10. In his statement on his social network, he expresses his disappointment at having to leave, but he justifies this choice by his concern to think about the team. We were together for about twenty minutess. When I leave him, I tell him: ‘Karim, there is no rush’. You organize your return with the team manager. When I wake up, I realize it’s gone. It’s her decision, I won’t tell you otherwise, I understand and respect it“.
Benzema played in a friendly with Madrid before the World Cup began, but Deschamps considers that he was not fit to participate in Qatar: “Do you really think that it is comparable to the intensity of a World Cup semifinal? Despite his talent and status that no one has ever questioned, can you imagine him coming back at the last moment? Karim himself told me that he would not have been ready“.
He also pointed out that there was no discomfort from the rest of the players with Benzema. “Not at all. No player was happy with his departure as could be heard or read. Karim knows it too. He doesn’t know who spreads those rumors. It’s not even controversy anymore, it’s malice. If the smiles appeared it was not because Karim had left us, but because the team was winning”.
Answer from Benzema
Benzema posted Deschamps’ response to Le Parisien on his networks in which he spoke of Benzema’s departure from the concentration with a clear and forceful message. Next to the phrase “But how daring” he added the emoji of a clown face. He also assures that with this version of events Deschamps “lies”,
