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Karim Benzema is to take legal action against French newspaper Liberation over a report linking the Real Madrid striker to a drug trafficking and money laundering investigation.

Benzema, who is already being investigated by police for his role in

, gave evidence as a witness last January in an inquiry by Paris prosecutors into money laundering and the trafficking of drugs.

This only came to light with the publication of Liberation 's 'dossier', which also claimed that Benzema's name had come to the fore after phone taps in an investigation by French customs officials had come across mentions of the forward's name.

Having given evidence last year in the case, the judge Renaud van Ruymbeke decided against declaring the Real Madrid man a suspect.

But after reading Liberation 's coverage, Benzema's lawyer, Eric Dupond-Moretti, told L'Equipe that they had suggested his client was guilty and they would be taking recourse through the legal system.

"He is a simple witness," Dupond-Moretti said.

"He is the only witness in a case who appears on the cover of a newspaper as if he were guilty of a series of offences.

"The headline is very evocative, look at the words used: 'money laundering', 'organised gangs', 'drugs'.

"I will sue Liberation. "

The latest controversy surrounding Benzema won't help the forward find his way back into the France squad, which he was left out of this week by boss Didier Deschamps.

While there is pressure on Les Bleus to win Euro 2016 on home soil this summer, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls this week publicly claimed that Benzema should not be selected for the tournament squad while he is still involved in the Valbuena investigation.

Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, however, has said he will start against Sevilla on Sunday night if he has recovered from injury.