Less than a week from the first list of the year and almost three months after the World Cup final lost against Argentina, the tumultuous history between Didier Deschamps and Karim Benzema is entering a new chapter. In two extensive interviews published on Friday evening by Le Figaro And The Parisian, the coach told a lot of things, sometimes remaining evasive, as he knows how to do, and other times being more talkative, such as about Benzema’s package a few days before the World Cup in Doha. It didn’t take much to put a coin back in the machine, unfortunately.
New parts in the machine
In both interviews, Deschamps therefore tells the same story, his version of the facts, of that night of November 19 to 20 in Doha, which had been fatal to the Ballon d’Or, very quickly announced as a withdrawal for the competition due to a thigh injury. It was then the door open to rumours, interpretations, rumors, reinforced by the rapid return of Benzema to training in Madrid, but also swept away by the unexpected course of the Blues until the final. “ There is only one truth and Karim knows it wellputs DD near the Parisian. When Karim was injured, our doctor took him to the Aspetar clinic for an MRI. Karim forwarded the results to someone following him in Madrid who also gave him an opinion. When he got back to the hotel, it was already past midnight. I joined Karim in his room with our doctor who had come to give me the report on the MRI. »
When I leave him, I tell him: “Karim, there’s no rush. You organize your return with the team manager.” When I wake up, I learn that he is gone. It’s his decision, he won’t tell you otherwise and I respect it.
The sequel is the departure on the sly from KB9 very early the next morning, told again by Deschamps: “ Karim is bruised because this World Cup meant a lot to him. He tells me : It’s dead. Our doctor’s diagnosis agrees with the one we gave in Madrid. At best, his return to training could not come before December 10. In his communication on his social network, he expresses his disappointment at having to give up, but justifies this choice by his concern to think of the team. We stayed together for about twenty minutes. Leaving him, I say to him: “Karim, there’s no rush. You organize your return with the team manager.” When I wake up, I learn that he is gone. It’s his decision, he won’t tell you otherwise and I respect it. »
It took less than two for the other actor in this play, Benzema, to respond to the coach in his own way, by posting two explicit stories on his Instagram account. Shortly before midnight, the striker with 97 caps posted a screenshot of part of his former coach’s remarks accompanied by three words ( “ But what audacity ») and a clown emoji, before sharing a video of a Snapchatter repeating the word “ liar » with the caption “ Sacred Didier… Good night. »
Karim Benzema on Instagram, following recent statements by Didier Deschamps. pic.twitter.com/A24NmD1nZs
— Real Madrid FR (@FranceRMCF) March 10, 2023
Each his com’, each his interests
These two hours lost in an evening punctuated by a beautiful Ligue 1 match and the National are a good summary of the persistent and permanent malaise for almost ten years between Benzema, the best French player of the last decade, and Deschamps, theman at two World Cups. However, the technician had rarely been so precise in his answers concerning a potential conflict with the player, he who had voluntarily brushed aside all questions for more than five years during his banishment following his involvement in the case of the sextape of Matthew Valbuena. Since this period and the famous interview given by the Madrilenian to the newspaper brand (“Deschamps gave in to a racist part of France”), some thingsbroke between the two, and KB9’s surprise return for Euro 2021 didn’t change anything. He had agreed to come back to win titles with the Blues, Deschamps had called him back because he now considered him essential to achieve the World-Euro double. A common agreement to win, their shared obsession, but probably not the end of resentment.
It is an important player in the history of the France team who is leaving. The Federation invited him on March 24, for France – Netherlands, as did Steve Mandanda, Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane and Blaise Matuidi. A tribute will be paid to them. It’s good, I think. I hope they can all be there.
There has often been talk of poor communication in this delicate relationship, from the heavy silence of Deschamps in press conferences, to the subliminal messages of Benzema on social networks, which can be questionable when you are 35 years old and have such an experience. This Friday evening or even later, thehe attacker could have delivered his version, clear, clean, precise, his truth, but he once again preferred to maintain the mystery rather than clarify it. It’s a shame, the France team does not need this new war of words and silences; a war of egos either, for that matter. On December 19, the day after the final against Argentina and on his birthday (a timing still foreign), while the majority of French journalists were ready to take off from Doha, Benzema had announced his international retirement on his networks. “QWhen I spoke to him in early January, his decision was not definitive, assures Deschamps, always Parisian. It is now and I have to respect it. It is an important player in the history of the France team who is leaving. The Federation invited him on March 24, for France – Netherlands, as did Steve Mandanda, Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane and Blaise Matuidi. A tribute will be paid to them. It’s good, I think. I hope they can all be there. “It would be a nice way to turn the page, but between the two men, as between Benzema and the Blues, nothing is ever so simple.
Deschamps: “On the Argentinian side, there were unacceptable attitudes”