"You shouldn't confuse F1 and go karting and that's me being kind," says Benzema in Instagram live chat
Tuesday 31 March 2020 07:00, UK
Olivier Giroud has been likened to "go-karting" in comparison to "F1" Karim Benzema in an astonishing outburst from the Real Madrid striker.
Benzema has not played for France since before the Euro 2016 tournament, and has even suggested he would be willing to change his allegiance to Algeria, if permitted. Thus, he has been unable to add to his 27 goals in 81 appearances for the country.
In the meantime, Giroud has taken advantage of Benzema's absence and is France's third-highest goalscorer, having scored 39 goals in 93 games - a record that has nonetheless failed to impress Benzema.
"You shouldn't confuse F1 and go karting and that's me being kind," Benzema said on a live Instagram video with YouTuber Mohamed Henni. "On to the next topic. I'm not talking about him [Giroud] anymore. I just know that I'm F1.
"He has his career, he does what he wants and scores the goals that he wants to score. He's in his corner and I'm in mine; I'm not thinking about him. If we're talking about playing style, his suits France well.
"It's good because there are fast players like (Kylian) Mbappe and (Antoine) Griezmann who play out wide or feed off the centre-forward. When Giroud is up front, he's a handful for defences, which gives the other two plenty of space to show what they can do.
"He occupies defenders and it works. It might not be brilliant to watch and you won't say, 'Wow, that was incredible.' Does everyone like that style of play? I don't know, but it suits France well."
Benzema was suspended indefinitely from the France squad in December 2015 after being charged with conspiracy to blackmail team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape, but French federation president Noel Le Graet said in October 2016 that coach Didier Deschamps was free to call him up again.
La Graet has changed his stance, though, insisting Benzema - who remains without an international appearance since the Valbuena affair - is not part of France's plans and the "adventure is over with the French national team".
