French radio station 'Europe 1' has released a transcript of the conversation that Karim Benzema held with a childhood friend, during which the Real Madrid striker told him how he tried to convince Mathieu Valbuena to negotiate in order to stop the alleged sex tape, in which he appears, from going public.

Every call made by the three blackmailers was recorded by investigators, as were those made by Benzema.

The 20-minute conversation happened on 6th October whilst training with France in Clairefontaine.

Benzema told his friend that he had told Valbuena: "If you want the video to be destroyed, my friend will go and see you in Lyon", before adding: "I don't think he's taking us seriously". The France striker then told him that Valbuena first thought it was all a joke.

Benzema then explained how he tried telling his international teammate that the threat was real. "I told him: 'I can help you out. You have to see this guy. You have my word that there are no more copies'", Benzema told his friend. Later, he continued to outline the conversation with Valbuena: "If you want the video to be destroyed, my friend will go and see you in Lyon and you can sort it out with him directly".

"But can you see my tattoos in the video?", Valbuena asked Benzema. The Lyon striker wanted to know whether Benzema had seen the video too. "You can see everything", replied the Real Madrid man, who told Valbuena that he had seen the video "a week before joining up with France".

Benzema said that Valbuena then panicked and he had told him: "You can do whatever you want. Ok, If you don't want to pay, it's your life but I have warned you".