behind the scenes of Karim Benzema’s unexpected return

Over the hours, the confirmations were linked. Launched yesterday morning by L’Équipe, the possibility of Karim Benzema’s return to the France team, at 33 and after 6 years of absence, has turned into official information. Yes, the Real Madrid striker will participate in Euro 2020, after missing the 2016 edition and the 2018 World Cup. An incredible turnaround that the national coach explained, but without saying too much, especially on his meeting with KB9.

“The most important is today and tomorrow. There were important steps. A very important one. We saw each other. We discussed at length. After that, I had a long reflection to come to this decision today. I will not reveal a word of the discussion, that concerns us both. I needed it, he needed it. “

Deschamps worried about the Blues attack

While the two men seemed irreconcilable, the Bayonnais once again demonstrated that his pragmatism was foolproof. After swearing that the Merengue would have been part of even a list of 23 names, DD will however not say more about the circumstances which led him to recall Benzema.

In today’s edition, The team does give us some details. At the end of March, at the end of the last French rally, Deschamps and his staff were very worried about the performances and club situations of the blue attackers: Griezmann as a dilettante at FC Barcelona, ​​Olivier Giroud deprived of playing time at Chelsea, Anthony Martial injured in the knee and Wissan Ben Yedder still not seen as a prime alternative.

The French executives validated the Benzema choice

The option of a comeback of KB9, very successful at Real Madrid, then germinated in the head of the coach. The latter then made his decision before notifying his staff and the president of the FFF. But that’s not all. The Parisian tells us that the boss of the 2018 world champions then surveyed several executives of his team (Hugo Lloris, Raphaël Varane, Paul Pogba and Olivier Giroud). All gave the green light for the return of the Madrilenian.

Sure not to upset his group by his decision, DD spoke with Benzema at the end of April in the greatest secrecy. Once the reconciliation was recorded between the two men, nothing filtered out. And not to spoil anything and not to claim victory too quickly (in case DD changed his mind), the attacker then canceled all the scheduled interviews, including the one on bein Sports which was to be held the day before the announcement of the list, to avoid giving any clues.