Didier Deschamps will sue Eric Cantona after the ex-Manchester Utd legend appeared to make comments that the current France manager has discriminated against Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa because of their ethnicity.
Benzema and Ben Arfa were omitted from France’s Euro 2016 squad, Ben Arfa is on the standby list after a brilliant season with Nice, whilst Benzema was left out after he was questioned by police in connection with an alleged attempt by one of his friends to blackmail his international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape.
Cantona controversially said that the pair may have been discriminated:
“Maybe no, but maybe yes,” he said. “Why not? One thing is for sure – Benzema and Ben Arfa are two of the best players in France and will not play the European Championship. And for sure, Benzema and Ben Arfa, their origins are North African. So, the debate is open.”
However Deschamps has now decided to take legal action against Cantona now.
His lawyer Lawyer Carlos Brusa told L’Equipe: “I will initiate action before the civil and criminal courts to punish these slanderous and defamatory comments that infringe impermissibly on Mr Deschamps’ integrity.”
