Florentino Perez gives full support to Karim Benzema amid blackmail scandal

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is standing by Karim Benzema.

On Thursday, Benzema was reportedly charged in an extortion case involving a sex tape that features international teammate Mathieu Valbuena. The alleged charges include complicity to blackmail and conspiring to commit a criminal act, which could carry a prison sentence of least five years.

Related: Karim Benzema charged in blackmail scandal

After apparently being charged, Benzema trained at Real Madrid City, as he works his way back from a hamstring strain. Meanwhile, Real Madrid issued a statement in which club president Florentino Perez gave the French forward "his full support" and expressed confidence in the player's innocence.

From Real Madrid's statement:

Karim Benzema returned to training this evening at Real Madrid City after making a statement to the French authorities in the Versailles.

The Real Madrid C. F. president, Florentino Perez, held a meeting with the player in which he gave him his full support and expressed his confidence that his actions were in good faith and that he is completely innocent.

The club values and recognises the professional commitment, the displays of camaraderie with his teammates and the impeccable attitude he has shown as a core member of the first team squad for the more than six seasons that he has been a part of Real Madrid.

A source in the investigation said Benzema admitted to approaching Valbuena about the sex tape "on behalf of a childhood friend" who had been contacted by blackmailers seeking to extort money, according to Paul Aubriat and Nathalie Alonso from the Agence France-Presse.

Sylvain Cormer, Benzema's lawyer, defended her client after the hearing, saying, "He played no part, I repeat no part, in any blackmail or attempted blackmail," according to Angelique Chrisafis from the Guardian.

Both Benzema and Valbuena were omitted from the 23-man squad national team that will represent France in its upcoming friendlies versus Germany at the Stade de France and England at Wembley on Nov. 13 and Nov. 17, respectively.