France international Morgan Schneiderlin has hit back at Karim Benzema by claiming accusing national team coach Didier Deschamps of racism is "sad".
Algeria-born Frenchman Benzema was left out of Deschamps' final France squad for the upcoming Euro 2016, despite another good season for Real Madrid.
Benzema's involvement was always in doubt following a criminal investigation into his alleged involvement of blackmailing international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena, however the striker suggested an element of racism may have been at play in his exclusion.
While Benzema stopped short of calling Deschamps a racist in an explosive interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, the Madrid striker suggested that the coach had, "bowed to the pressure of a racist part of France".