This archive report was first published on 20 June 2021.
June 20, 2021 - In a bid to ease the pressure on Karim Benzema, France teammate Antoine Griezmann has come out in support of the Real Madrid striker, who has been under the spotlight after failing to score in his first two games at Euro 2020.
France drew 1-1 with Hungary in Budapest on Saturday, with Griezmann scoring the equalizing goal in the second half. The result left France at the top of Group F with four points, but the lack of goals from their star-studded attack has become a talking point.
“He wants to score just like Kylian and I, and as a player you need it to feel relaxed and liberated,” Griezmann said, defending Benzema.
Benzema was recalled by France coach Didier Deschamps for the European Championship after a five-and-a-half-year international exile, despite being awaiting trial over his alleged involvement in a blackmail plot involving a sextape and former France teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
Without Benzema, France reached the final of Euro 2016 and won the 2018 World Cup, but his performance on Saturday earned him a rating of just 3 out of 10 in leading sports daily L’Equipe.
“He has been really important in our link-up play and I am sure when he gets one goal the tap will open and it will keep running,” Griezmann added.
