France coach Didier Deschamps has offered his backing to Mathieu Valbuena and stressed that the Lyon winger is the blameless victim in a blackmail case that has seen Karim Benzema suspended from the national team.
Benzema was last month charged with conspiracy to blackmail for an alleged role in an attempt to extort money from Valbuena, his international teammate, using a sex tape.
Last week, French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet announced that the Real Madrid striker would not be called upon by France unless the matter is resolved in his favour.
Valbuena's form has suffered since the case became public knowledge and the former Marseille player told Le Monde he felt he had not received enough support from the FFF.
On Sunday, Deschamps told Telefoot that Valbuena had found the controversy difficult to deal with.
"Mathieu -- even if he's someone I know well who is resilient -- he's gone through some hard moments and his family have too," Deschamps said.
"He's a victim. There's nothing to reproach him for. He was picked, he was available for selection and he still remains available for selection."
While Benzema's chances of making Euro 2016 are in doubt as a result of the case, Deschamps was keen to make clear that Valbuena's situation is not comparable.
"I repeat, Mathieu is a victim," the former Juventus and Chelsea midfielder said. "You can't put Mathieu Valbuena and Karim Benzema on the same level.
"We can't reproach [Mathieu] for anything and he has nothing to feel ashamed of -- in terms of the sporting situation Mathieu has no worries, which is not the case for Karim."
Deschamps said he had understood and accepted Le Graet's decision to suspend Benzema.
The former Monaco and Marseille boss also went back over his own choice to leave Valbuena out of France's squad for last month's friendlies against Germany and England.
"It was a human decision too," Deschamps said. "In the situation that we were in, where this affair was getting a lot of media interest, I was convinced that it wasn't a good thing for Mathieu to find himself with the French team with everything that was going on.
"It was a way of protecting him. I told him, I explained it to him and he was obliged to accept it."
Deschamps confirmed Benzema's contention that he had sent him a message of support on the day the player was released from custody.
The former Lyon striker denies any wrongdoing and his lawyers have requested a confrontation hearing with Valbuena.
Last week, Le Graet lamented the fact that the players are currently forbidden from meeting to see if an amicable solution is possible. But Deschamps pointed out that the affair had taken on a wider significance.
"It's a private matter," he said. "The judge considers -- it's her opinion -- that these are two individuals, two citizens, and that football has nothing to do with it.
"At the moment the judge is the only person who can decide on the seriousness of the facts. Without forgetting -- and it's important -- that there's a presumption of innocence."