Real Madrid Clear message on relationship post-scandal

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Still hopeful of one day making his return to the French national team, Karim Benzema couldn't be clearer in what his relationship with Mathieu Valbuena is like, as the effects of the sextape blackmail scandal linger on.

The Real Madrid striker is also still under investigation in a case that also envelops Djbril Cisse.

"It drives me crazy that Valbuena is still lieing, he needs to stop making up stories," Benzema told L'Equipe. "Everything starts with him, this story of the sextape.

"He should be telling the truth over what happened, and he is laughing at the whole world [in his lies]."

The star striker also discussed his struggles earlier in the season and emphasised that in football you can play well without scoring goals, even for a forward as elite as Benzema.

"This isn't the NBA, there is more to football than ratios, statistics, and goals," he claimed. "Numbers and records are important, but not as important as football itself."