French pundit Daniel Riolo has defended Noel Le Graet over his stand against Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
The French Football Federation president insists Benzema will not play for his country again. The striker hasn't played for Les Bleus since before Euro2016 due to his involvement in an alleged blackmail scandal.
Riolo told So Foot: "It should be known, Le Grat is initially a fan of Benzema. He has always wanted and defended him as a man and a player. He did it in front of me in his office. I was sitting in front of him and we were talking about that. He had the image of Benzema post-Ukraine (match won by the Blues 3-0, after losing the first leg 2-0). And he said how much he liked the player.
"I am obliged to defend Le Grat, I who never do it because I do not like his policy, but frankly I am obliged to tell the truth because I know it, he likes Benzema a lot.
"But he has lined up behind his coach and stands with him. Me, I never understood that he wanted to say "I am the president and I say that the other will never come back", to kind of meddle with what does not concern me."
