Matuidi: Benzema deserves to start for France

The midfielder believes that his compatriot has earned
the right to be a first-choice striker for Didier
Deschamps's side and hopes that he can carry his form
into the World Cup
Blaise Matuidi backs Karim Benzema to deliver the goals that
France need to progress beyond Group E, as they prepare to
face Honduras on Sunday.
The Real Madrid striker scored twice in an 8-0 win against
Jamaica in Les Bleus' final friendly before the tournament on
June 8, his first goals for either club or country since April.
Benzema is one of just three players in France's squad with
over 50 international caps - Patrice Evra and Hugo Lloris
being the others - after Franck Ribery's withdrawal due to a
back injury and Matuidi is confident that the Madrid man can
shoulder his side's goalscoring burden.
"Everybody can see that [Benzema] deserves it," the Paris
Saint-Germain midfielder told reporters when asked about
the striker's position.
"Karim is a world-class scorer. He's a player for Real Madrid,
the team that won the Champions League. There is nothing
more to say.
"I just hope that he is going to be in that form during the
World Cup. Right now, he is fit and in great form so he should
be able to help us have a great World Cup."
France endured a torrid campaign in the 2010 finals in South
Africa, finishing bottom of Group A behind Uruguay, Mexico
and the hosts after securing only a single point - and Matuidi
is keen to make amends for that embarrassment.
"The past is the past; we are now looking at what is in
front of us," the 27-year-old declared.
"We can speak about a new generation overall. We are all
going to discover what it takes to play a World Cup. We feel
we are ready to enter the battle. We've really worked well.
"We could see that during training and the friendly games
we've played.
"We are fully aware of how tough the opposition is going to
be but we are ready to give our very best in order to get the
results we are all waiting for."