Benzema, Nasri and Varane, the most followed on Twitter French athletes. Top 10 in 2015

Karim Benzema is the French athlete who has the most followers on Twitter. 

Tony Parker would feel very alone if the team captain of France basketball leaning on the ranking of the most watched national sport on the social network Twitter. He would see that he is the only one not to tap your feet in a balloon, now in the Top and again, well away from the top three that make up Karim Benzema, Samir Nasri and Raphael Varane.

Benzema, Nasri and Varane are the most followed

Two bad boys of the tricolor football and becoming a player at the top of the hierarchy but overall the Blues of Didier Deschamps have power over the microbloging network, present at number eight in ten. Apart from Tony Parker, another "exception" of the Top 10, if one can say so is Thierry Henry, now retired footballer but which remains the top scorer in the history of the French team.

Tony Parker, the only one who did not play football

On average, a French sportsman Top 10 most followed on Twitter has 1.9 million followers or roughly the average of Tony Parker. Note however that even by adding all the followers of the French Top 10, the figure remains below the 39 million followers of Cristiano Ronaldo, the world star athletes on all social networks.

The 10 most followed sports in 2015 French on Twitter

• 1. Karim Benzema (@Benzema) – 3.307.584 folloowers
• 2. Samir Nasri (@SamNasri19) – 2.613.914
• 3. Raphaël Varane (@raphaelvarane) – 2.548.597
• 4. Thierry Henry (@ThierryHenry) – 1.939.188
• 5. Tony Parker (@tonyparker) – 1.768.886
• 6. Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) – 1.621.570
• 7. Antoine Griezmann (@antogriezmann) – 1.541.803
• 8. Olivier Giroud (@_OlivierGiroud_ ) – 1.533.792
• 9. Blaise Matuidi (@MATUIDIBlaise) – 1.323.564
• 10. Mamadou Sakho (@mamadousakho3) – 1.202.540

Benzema's friend says he did not try to blackmail Valbuena

Karim Zenati, childhood friend striker Karim Benzema from Real Madrid and detained for alleged blackmail case of a sex tape to also international Mathieu Valbuena said before Justice did not attempt to extort , reported the newspaper "Le Monde".

"If you think of blackmail Valbuena would not have you talked to Karim (Benzema). That would bite the hand that feeds you, "he said in reference to the player, who knows from four years and he has hired his company for 3,300 euros per month.

In his appearance before Judge Nathalie Boutard last November 5, according to "Le Monde, which published part of these statements, he said that intervened in the case in an attempt to" fix the situation ".

Also insisted he would never do that or Valbuena or Benzema: ".. He helped me get to where I was small De did nonsense He let me out of my misery," said Zenati, who is currently incarcerated.

Real Madrid striker said yesterday in his first televised interview that he hoped the situation end well and that he and Valbuena can return to the French team "to win the Euro".

Real Madrid, accused appeared in the afflicted but calm interview, and denounced the "cruelty" which, in his view, is suffering.

"They accused me, drag me through the mud as if I were a criminal ... They are horrible things," lamented Benzema when asked about the statements of Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who said that if an athlete "is not exemplary "should not play with the selection.

The French federation suspended Benzema

The French Football Federation (FFF) will suspend the player Karim Benzema from Real Madrid, accused in a case of alleged sex video blackmail with his French team-mate Mathieu Valbuena , It reveals today the local press.

The president of the FFF, Noel Le Graet, will announce next Thursday at the press conference following the Executive Committee of the organization press, indicate the rotating "L'Equipe" and "Le Parisien".

The latter indicates that it will be a provisional suspension until the French justice will clarify the level of involvement in the Madrid striker alleged blackmail Valbuena.

After having questioned last November 5th, the judge investigating the case he was charged with "complicity in attempted blackmail" and "participation in a criminal association" and imposed as a precautionary measure the inability to contact the other defendants - the blackmailer - and the alleged victim, Valbuena.

That decision makes it impossible for coach Didier Deschamps , convene both time and complicating Benzema.

So far, the FFF had shown lukewarm support to the Real Madrid player, relying on the presumption of innocence.

But last week, after the daily "Le Monde" published an interview in which Valbuena showed very hard with Benzema, Le Graet attitude seems to have changed.

First, they decided to stand as a civil party in the case to have access to the file and, according to "L'Equipe" and "Le Parisien" will now go a step further.

A few months after the start of the European Championship, where France will host and one of the favorites, the FFF seems to rule out any options to destabilise the group Deschamps.

In addition, Le Graet is subject to political pressures. The Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, was in favor of the selection rule to all players that were not copies, while Sports Minister Patrick Kanner, asked not directly call any player accused.

MERCATO: Who will be the successor of Karim Benzema to Real Madrid?

As week after week Karim Benzema appears increasingly concerned by Valbuena case, the Real Madrid could already consider his replacement.

Indeed, its president Florentino Perez has even, the newspaper AS, mentioned that if the French guilt in this case, it could simply be dismissed. Dirty story for the Madrid striker who also saw his future selection fade gradually.

Who could therefore succeed the head of the attack on the Casa Blanca in case of premature departure of Karim Benzema? Here are four solutions that could appeal to fans of Real.

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Argentine striker, always in small Madrid papers, would be a luxury rookie for Real Madrid. Only a few problems arise, Manchester City is not the seller and could easily increase the salary "Kun" if desired. In addition, the Citizen is a former Colchoneros which is none other than the ultimate rival Madrid in the capital.

Álvaro Morata (Juventus)

 Child of Cantera, the training center of Real Madrid, Morata may have been sold too quickly by the leaders Madrid. Transferred to Juventus because of his lack of playing time, he was, however, only the third in the hierarchy behind Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente but he manage to win up quickly eliminate him even his old Team semifinals of the Champions League last year.

Radamel Falcao (Chelsea)

Very close to the Real Madrid two seasons ago, the Colombian on loan from AS Monaco inexorably seeks to get rid of, is only a shadow of himself despite the will of Jose Mourinho to revive it. Its coast has greatly lowered, the people of Madrid could cheaply, making the bet to wake the player he was before he ruptured cruciate ligaments.

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

The Pole is surely the current best center forward in the world (Luis Suarez), it is also the top scorer in 2015 behind the two giants Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. However, Bayern Munich seller is not either and the amount requested for the Bavarian attacker could exceed comprehension.

Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

This is surely the most likely of all came. Florentino Pérez would have added the Englishman in his small papers a few weeks ago and we even speak of a transfer this winter. An offer of 50 million euros is quite the ropes of Real Madrid and Leicester City should convince that would be enough to do to find a replacement.

Or :

Harry Kane: The Tottenham striker is only 22 and has a bright future ahead. The difficulties experienced his club to be part of top could push it a start.

Edinson Cavani: Although with the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimović, the Uruguayan striker should be the number one in the Paris Saint-Germain, a start is not however be excluded, especially if the transaction is an exchange between Benzema and Cavani.

Gonzalo Higuaín: Old Madrid, it could choose to return to the club to dream again in the Champions League. Only flat, his release clause would be to the tune of 94.7 million euros.

Karim Benzema sign progression year on Instagram

Karim Bezema nursed his notoriety in 2015 but the case of the clear night sextape his comm '. - @ K Benzema

 If different with Mathieu Valbuena is (much) about him, it is not the reason for the interest of users of social network Instagram pictures towards Karim Benzema. In 2015, he was not a matter of his judicial worries this is to not also the place to find an explanation to the fact that the striker Real Madrid is the French personality who rose to strongest growth over the network in 2015.

+ 2.3M followers in addition to Karim Bezema

Karim Benzema has 8.2 million followers in the month of November 2015, an increase of 5.7 million subscribers this year. Its growth is higher than that of a former football player of Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane (+ 2.3M) but also to other stars of the media landscape, French sporting or cultural such as David Guetta (+ 2.7m) and Kev Adams (+ 1.6M). Rapahäel Varane, teammate Karim Benzema to Real Madrid and Team France has seen its community grow by more 1.5 million followers on the same period.

Nicolas Sarkozy criticised prime minister, Manuel Valls, reffered to Karim Benzema

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, today criticised the prime minister, Manuel Valls, who has wanted to give "exemplary lessons" on account of Karim Benzema , when the details of the legal proceedings are unknown against French international player and Real Madrid , under judice.

 "I do not like the lessons of exemplary," he said in an interview with the radio station "Europe 1" Sarkozy, in reaction to the statements of Manuel Valls, where the case of Karim Benzema said that if an athlete "is not exemplary "you should have no place in the French team.

"I hate all those people who gives lessons exemplary" repeated President Republicans and head of the conservative opposition.

Sarkozy said, in what regards the imputation of Benzema, "everyone talks about things he does not know, which are covered by the secrecy of investigations. It accuses, denounces, is destroyed, it is accused".

"He added Valls statue gets as exemplary. One day there will be other elements. He denounces, will reproach he be crucified and then it will happen. To me that is not the rule of law".

Sarkozy recalled Valls  that neither he nor the coaches are in direct reference to the Prime Minister comment on whether Benzema should wear the shirt of France.

He added that, in a matter of exemplary, the Socialist government was the case of the Minister, Jérôme Cahuzac, "in charge of the fight against tax fraud and which was found to have a hidden account" abroad not declared.

Benzema is charged in France for intervening in the case in which two alleged blackmailers asked his team-mate Mathieu Valbuena a significant amount of money in exchange for not broadcast on the Internet a video of sexual content in which he appeared with his partner .

Benzema: "It's a big misunderstanding"

For the French footballer Karim Benzema French Justice assured that his alleged involvement in the blackmail also international Mathieu Valbuena with a sex video was "a great misunderstanding" because, according to an excerpt of his remarks published by "Le Monde" he had always intended to help.

 According to the newspaper, which transcribed the essence of his appearance on November 5 at the Palace of Justice in Versailles, Benzema told the judge that even saw the recording of his team-mate.

"I think this is all a big misunderstanding. At first, I just wanted to have him on top of the story and help, because I had done something the same style. This is someone who plays with me in the France team, it is a friend, "said Nathalie Boutard.

Benzema told the Justice that he learned of the existence of the video through an unknown friend of his friend Karim Zenati, and about three weeks before the conversation with Valbuena at Clairefontaine, where he is accused of having incited pay for not coming to light.

"When I started to tell him he had a video, you could count on me and I could help, he started asking questions about such things. I told him that everything depended on him (...) and that someone could try to help too . It was Zenati "he said, referring to also accused.

Striker Real Madrid also had to justify to the judge the tone of his conversation with Zenati, which according to him should not misinterpret his intentions.

"You can hear how I talk, sometimes by phone. I spent a little joke, but I only speak of help. (...) Sometimes you say anything over the phone, but only talk about help. If you were part of that group (blackmailers) and not talk to Karim. "

Benzema said everything, Valbuena told about the video did trusting what Zenati had told her, because she trusted him, and regretted having mocked the reaction and anguish of Valbuena.

"It was not right. He's someone I appreciate," he added the player, who stressed that neither he nor Zenati, employee in their company, they need money.

Benzema, now for the first time publicly expressed on its complaint, in an interview broadcast by the channel "TF1", was equally be called "fagot" (tarlouze) to mate selection, but took the word weight.

"It's something you can tell everybody, friends. For me and my generation, it's friendly," he added the player, who lamented the dimension it has taken the story, on which even has ruled Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

L'Equipe: Benzema threat the national team - Association as co-plaintiffs in the sex tape scandal

The career of striker Karim Benzema of Real Madrid in the French national football team threatens the premature end. According to information from the trade newspaper L'Equipe (Saturday edition) is considering the association FFF to throw the attacker from the Equipe Tricolore. In the sex tape scandal - Mathieu Valbuena (Olympique Lyon) had his team-mate Benzema an extortion attempt last loaded heavily .

He has the association be registered as co-plaintiffs in court, "This did not happen to Benzema to impose a short-term play lock", was an unspecified called federation functionary of L'Equipe quoted ambiguous. As a possible successor to Benzema in the starting eleven of the EM-host in 2016 among other Bundesliga player Kingsley Coman (19) of Bayern Munich is traded by L'Equipe.

Valbuena had announced new details of the scandal in an interview with the newspaper Le Monde until Friday. Benzema had wanted him "indirectly" tempted to pay to a childhood friend of Real-Stars, Valbuena (31) had said in an interview.

"With Entice I mean. 'It is essential that you pay' Indirectly just", led the midfielder Olympique Lyon. To speak in his own way was Benzema (27) "not been aggressive, he has not spoken to me specifically to money. But I have not heard of anyone who destroys a free video" Valbuena said.

Against Benzema was on November 5 an investigation initiated for involvement in the blackmail affair. Valbuena had been placed with a sex tape under pressure, that is to show him in piquant situations. Three alleged extortionists who wanted to facilitate Valbuena according to media reports about a six-figure sum, were detained.

Valbuena has described the Justice on November 20, his view of things.

Valbuena sex tape on the case: "Benzema has disappointed me, thought I was an idiot"

Until now we had heard only version of Karim Benzema , but for the first time since the scandal sex tape also directly involved Mathieu Valbuena wanted to publicly tell his side of the story.

 "I would not do something like that to my worst enemy" , debuted Valbuena in 'Le Monde'. Recall that Benzema is currently under investigation for complicity in extortion attempt against his fellow National.

"In her speech was not aggressive - he told Valbuena - , did not speak explicitly of money but when you insist to make me meet someone ... I've never seen someone who does destroy a free video just because you adore . You have to avoid treating people like idiots. "

The same Benzema has admitted having an intermediary between the blackmailers and Valbuena, who reconstructed the conversation with the Madrid striker: "I have told Karim: 'Have you seen, Djibril (Cissé, editor's note) has happened to the same thing in 2008 '. And he told me:' So, he paid? '. And I said:' Well yes, paid '. He said,' It came out? '. And I said no. Then I have said many times that I was dealing with 'the great criminals'.

Mathieu Valbuena had quickly realized that the end of Benzema was not quite noble: "I am more than disappointed. I tell myself that it's just a lack of respect, you can not behave like that. In the end, when it came time to leave, he said: 'I do, give him your number? I'll give you his number? ".

The meeting, however, never took place and there was no call according to what states Valbuena: "Karim knew very well, although we never talked about money, I think it's smart enough to know that if I meet that person It is to talk about this and that. "

Heavy words, which replied Benzema's lawyer , Alain Jakubowicz, a 'Infosport Plus': " Invitation Karim talking to demonstrate that it is not man who try to describe. His statements do not hinder in any way, but I'm not sure it was a good idea to Valbuena to feed the record . "

Investigations revealed the name of Samir Nasri , Valbuena but said he was not surprised: "My relationship with him was always difficult - said the Lyon player - it is not strange that it is involved in a story like " .

Arsenal does not give up and insisted on hiring Benzema

Real Madrid opens the door to a possible way out front if the English side reached 65 million euros.

 The Arsenal could be closer to signing Karim Benzema , Real Madrid now seems willing to accept the departure of French if you come to the correct numbers for his transfer, according to a report in the Daily Mirror .

The report suggests that Arsenal would have to pay a figure close to 65 million euros to get to the front, and states that the 'soap opera' threatens to lengthen until the deadline of the transfer market. A very similar situation to which it did in 2013 with Mesut Özil. White front not clear his role on the team and might be willing to jump to the Premier to get more prominence. Although his relationship with Cristiano has always been good, live in the shadow of the Portuguese is not easy.

The absence of Benzema, though significant, may not be as noticeable as it would open the door to use to Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale front. The good feeling targeted by Jesse in the preseason, also could have affected this change of mind in the offices of the club.

Rafa Benitez has tried to play with Gareth Bale in the middle with good results and it is believed that Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez , is hoping that the Welsh succeed and silenced the critics. A greater role for Bale playing in the middle could be the solution that both seek.

That report states that Madrid can switch to a more typical Spanish training technician, 4-4-2, with Ronaldo and Bale as the two points of attack and a lot of creative midfielders behind them to provide balls. This drawing would be very similar to that used in the field several times by Carlo Ancelotti with mixed results.