Benzema: "The hardest thing is when your own fans criticise you"
The Real Madrid forward spoke about his chances of playing in the World Cup along with his relationship to Ronaldo and the criticism he gets.
Karim Benzema was interviewd on Canal Football Club, the French programme on Canal+ before the docmentary entitled 'K de Benzema' was aired. The Real Madrid striker spoke about his relationship with Didier Deschamps, the French manager, analysing his exclusion from the French national side and the criticism he has received.
Deschamps: "As long as Deschamps is the manager of the team, I won't be given an opportunity to return to the national side. Of course, I think about it, of course I do but it has been more than two and a half years and you don't have to be very smart. It's not a question of him calling me or not, I had him on the phone before the Euros and he didn't give me an explanation. He is someone who I respect, but he showed me a lot of respect before and after he turned his back on me. It hurts. When he wants to meet, we will meet."
Possibility of going to the World Cup: "It's complicated. I'm not stupid, of course I want to go. I love football, I love these competitions and the pressure with your country is something else. I want to win something with my country, I still believe in it. Things can change in the future, I hope."
"I lost respect for Mourinho after he called me a cat"
Problems with teammates: "I have no problems with any French players. There are some that I come across from time to time and it's nice to see them. The whole world was involved in the story, but I'm not a troublemaker, that's not my image."
Missing in front of goal: "I score goals but when there is someone beside me who scores 50 goals a year....before, a striker would score 25 goals and he was a good striker, but now..."
Relationship with Ronaldo: "Cristiano and I get on well and I like playing with him. He likes to play it first time. He is more egotistical than me but that's normal, it doesn't bother me. In the end, it's good for the team."
The pressure at Madrid: "The most difficult thing at Real Madrid is the pressure. The debate is to sell newspapers, but I am used to that. With age, I have learned to keep calm. Return to Lyon? I made a nice story there but I am at Madrid. There is nothing better."
Chance to win the Balón d'Or: "It's difficult. It's always in the back of my head and it pushes you to go further. But we are in a time with two great players (Cristiano and Messi). We have to recognise that they are aliens."
Criticism: "I have to be an example on the field. The criticism, the insults...it's difficult. Especially in Spain, where there are times when you don't understand everything they are saying to you. It hurts a lot in France too, especially when it affects your family. But I have to be a professional and set an example to kids, the young ones, to everyone. Football has a big impact. It's difficult. I can contain myself but the most difficult is when your own fans are criticising you. That is really difficult. Normally, they are there to cheer you on. The case of Evra? I don't know what insult they shouted at him but it must have hurt."
"I lost respect for Mourinho after he called me a cat"
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