Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema, and France teammate, Mathieu Valbuena, have both been left out from the squad released on Thursday to face Germany and England later this month.
Benzema is at the centre of a sex tape blackmail scandal with his teammate, Valbuena, the victim of extortion attempt.
They were both left out hours after a French judge formally charged the Real Madrid striker with complicity to blackmail Valbuena.
The 27-year-old has been charged with complicity in an attempt to blackmail and conspiring to commit a criminal act, which is punishable by at least five years in prison, the prosecutor’s office in Versailles outside Paris said.
Benzema’s lawyer, Sylvain Cormier, told reporters after a hearing that the player was innocent and took no part in any blackmail or attempted blackmail.
France coach, Didier Deschamps, refused to comment on the legal case but said Benzema was injured and not available to play for Real Madrid or France anyway.
He added that Lyon playmaker Valbuena “isn’t in the best psychological condition because of this affair so I decided to let him rest during these games.
“The best is to let justice do its work and take the decisions it has to.”
The coach refused to answer any further question on the case.
In place of the two players, Deschamps has recalled Hartem Ben Arfa to the squad, after scoring seven goals in 12 matches for Nice in the French Ligue 1.
France play Germany next Friday before facing England on November 17 at Wembley.
Both are international friendly games.
