Benzema put under formal inquiry over French sex tape

Karim Benzema's lawyer Sylvain Cormier answers questions to journalists in front of the Versailles courthouse, near Paris, France, November 5, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Deschamps left the two out of the France squad called up for friendlies against Germany and England on Nov. 13 and 17.

He said Benzema was in any case injured and that Valbuena would be shaken by the whole affair, adding: "I've decided to give him a breather for the two dates."

He refused to be drawn on the long-term implications at a news conference scheduled long before Thursday's news of the judicial investigation.

"I suppose you have a lot of questions not related to football, I will not answer them," he said.

Valbuena posted a photo on Thursday of Benzema and himself on his Facebook page. He posted a photo of himself and Djibril Cisse when Cisse was questioned on Oct. 13.

Valbuena may be summoned soon to give his version of events, notably a phone conversation with Benzema on Oct. 5 that is at the heart of the matter, according to lawyer Cormier.

The imbroglio is not Benzema's first brush with justice.

He and Bayern Munich forwards Franck Ribery were acquitted by a court in January 2014 of charges that they solicited the services of an underage prostitute, the now fashion model Zahia Dehar, when she was aged 16 and 17.

A fan of ultra-fast road cars, Benzema was also banned from driving for eight months in 2013 and fined 18,000 euros after he was clocked at almost twice the speed limit in Spain. ($1 = 0.9200 euros)