Chelsea star Diego Costa has described Karim Benzema as a “top player” and called for the striker to be allowed to return to the France international fold.
Benzema was arrested by police in November 2015 for an alleged role in the blackmail of France midfielder Mathieu Valbuena over a sex-tape and the Real Madrid striker has not played for the national side since.
The 29-year-old was charged for his alleged involvement but is yet to go to trial, putting his international career on hold and seeing Benzema miss out on Euro 2016 and all international fixtures since.
France are due to play Spain this week in an international friendly and Costa has spoken out on the Benzema situation, saying his fellow forward should be in the France squad.
Speaking to Telefoot Costa said: “I don’t know what really happened, but Benzema is Benzema. It’s hard to do it without a top world player like him.”
“For the good of football, he should play with France.”
Benzema has only eight goals in La Liga and is in danger of equalising his joint lowest league goal tally ever, having scored eight in his first season with Madrid.
Since Benzema’s arrest at the beginning of November 2015 France have only lost two matches – a friendly with England a week after the initial arrest and the Euro 2016 final against Portugal.
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