Griezmann: It was a pleasure to play alongside Benzema

Tired of being accused of and labelled as 'anti-Benzema' in the France squad, Antoine Griezmann came out in support of the player who has yet to feature for Didier Deschamps since the Valbuena blackmailing scandal. The Atleti man looked back on their time as a strike partnership and hopes that eventually Benzema will be called up once again sometime soon. "It was a pleasure to play alongside Benzema," Griezmann said in an interview with Le Figaro. "On the pitch we always understood each other very easily. "It bothers me that I'm seen as 'anti-Benzema' since he's such a great player." Nonetheless when asked whether the Real striker should be allowed back within the Bleus squad, Griezmann knew his role. "It is the national team coach who decides on who gets called up and who doesn't, not me," Griezmann concluded.Deschamps claimed leaving Benzema out was for the good of squad harmony, however this sentiment is not shared by the new poster boy of French football.

Atletico Madrid's superstar has made clear the qualities his former international teammate possesses and how they would help. "France misses him because he is a great player and it is easy to connect with him on and off the pitch," he told a reporter from Le Monde. The president of the French Football Federation, Noel Le Graet, has refused to become embroiled in the issue as he claims it isn't related to the federation. In an interview with RMC, he told reporters how the Real Madrid's striker's absence had nothing at all to do with the organisation, rather just the coach himself. "Here there is an error, the Federation has not sanctioned Benzema and as far as we are concerned he is eligible for selection - I don't want to punish people forever, I personally think the case has gone on too long." The court case surrounding events involving the 28-year-old and Mathieu Valbuena continues and on October 14 the investigating chamber of the Versailles Court of Appeal will decide whether or not to accept an appeal launched by Benzema. This appeal was to denounce the ruling of disloyalty in the criminal investigations and if it is successful the forward can no longer be accused as a collaborator in an attempt to blackmail the current Lyon winger.