Based on the decision of the Versailles court last November concerning the sex tape case, 230,000 euros was withdrawn from the French international Karim Benzema account for payment to his compatriot Matteo Valbuena, according to the French press agency.

The court had ordered Benzema to pay a fine, damages and legal costs to compensate Valbuena, in addition to a one-year suspended sentence.

The Versailles court then said that "Benzema was personally involved in tricks and lies to convince his colleague to bow to blackmail," adding that the veteran player did not show "any good will towards Valbuena."

The Spanish Real Madrid attacker's lawyers appealed the decision of the year, which saw a remarkable return to the French team after being disqualified from world champions since 2015 because of the case.

A source close to the case said the player's account has been partially frozen since Friday. Benzema's lawyers want to keep the money in his account until his appeal is heard.

Benzema was accused of encouraging Valbuena to pay blackmailers who threatened to reveal an intimate video of the latter, at which point he confessed his intervention at the request of a blackmailer.

Benzema has always denied these allegations, saying that he tried to help Valbuena out of the situation and not set him up.