Deschamps says Real Madrid striker Benzema is "pitiful"

Deschamps says Real Madrid striker Benzema is "pitiful"

Didier Deschamps vuelve a dejar fuera de la convocatoria a Benzema
Didier Deschamps vuelve a dejar fuera de la convocatoria a Benzema | sport
Efe

The Madrid man has once again been left out of the France squad

Barcelona defenders Digne and Umtiti are both included on the list

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has once again been left out of the France squad by coach Didier Deschamps due to the group "having already been created." 

The squad for the friendlies against Paraguay and England and the World Cup qualfifier against Sweden does include Barcelona defenders Lucas Digne and Samuel Umtiti, Real Madrid's Raphael Varane and Atletico's Antoine Griezmann. 

However, Atletico striker Kevin Gameiro has not been included in the squad, with his place taken by Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette, who may end the summer with the Rojiblancos, too. 

Young Monaco star Kylian Mbappé, 18, has also been included in Deschamps' squad for the three games. 

Deschamps says he is not affected by the criticism which has recently come from Benzema regarding his absence from the France squad since 2015, following his alleged involvement in an attempt to bribe team-mate Mathieu Valebuena. 

"I'll give you an answer: The French team was built before the Euro, and was consolidated through the competition in which France managed to get to the final," Deschamps explained. "It continued to be so in the qualifying games.

"I have a squad in which there is harmony. I have faith in the players, who have paid me back on the pitch. I have brought in young players, because they have a lot of potential. I'm the only one who decides, and I take decisions based on sporting reasons.

"For me, I have always thought a squad comes before everything. I always make decisions for the good of the French national team. I always talk with my technical staff before I announce a squad. I have always done that, I am changing nothing."

In an interview publsihed on Wedesday in "L'Équipe", Benzema criticised the France boss for not having given him any reason for his continued exclusion. 

"If he looks into my eyes and tells me it's for sporting reasons, I will keep working. If it's for something else, then he should tell me to my face and then everything can be out in the open between us," he said. 

It's not the first time Benzema, 29, has been critical of Deschamps, but the French coach said he didn't want to get involved in the war, before adding: "He's pitiful." 

FrancE SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (Paris SG/FRA), Benoît Costil (Rennes/FRA), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham/ENG)

Defenders: Lucas Digne (Barcelona/ESP), Christophe Jallet (Lyon/FRA), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris SG/FRA), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal/ENG), Benjamin Mendy (Monaco/FRA), Djibril Sidibé (Monaco/FRA), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona/ESP), Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid/ESP), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea/ENG)

Midfielders: N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea/ENG), Blaise Matuidi (Paris SG/FRA), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/ENG), Adrien Rabiot (Paris SG/FRA), Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham/ENG), Corentin Tolisso (Lyon/FRA)

Forwards: Ousmane Dembélé (Dortmund/GER), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal/ENG), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid/ESP), Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon/FRA), Thomas Lemar (Monaco/FRA), Kylian Mbappé (Monaco/FRA), Dimitri Payet (Marsella/FRA), Florian Thauvin (Marseille/FRA).

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