Judge denies Benzema's attempt to meet face to face with Valbuena

Karim Benzema's request to meet with Mathieu Valbuena to discuss the blackmail case involving the two French players has been denied by the investigating judge.

The Real Madrid striker - who is facing preliminary charges of conspiracy to blackmail Valbuena in relation to an extortion case that involves a sex tape featuring the Lyon midfielder - submitted a request to Judge Nathalie Boutard for a face-to-face meeting with his France teammate.

Boutard denied the request, saying Benzema has no right to meet with Valbuena, according to a statement from the Versailles prosecutor’s office translated by The Associated Press.

Representatives of Benzema - whose place on the national team is in jeopardy, as he was suspended in the days after the case was made public - claim the request to meet with Valbuena was made in an effort to clear the air and ease the tensions between the two players.