Valbuena sex-tape blackmail suspects released from custody

Axel Angot and Younes Houass were released from prison on Wednesday while Mustapha Zouaoui was released on Friday. The three have been released as French law prevents suspects being held in pre-trial detention for longer than four months.

A fourth man charged in the affair, Karim Zenati, a boyhood friend of Benzema, remains in custody, the prosecutor confirmed.

Benzema, who has been charged with complicity to blackmail and conspiring to commit a criminal act involving the sex tape featuring Valbuena, is still not allowed to come into contact with his international colleague and has been excluded from the France set-up pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

The affair has rocked the France squad ahead of Euro 2016, which the country will host, and the chances of Real Madrid star Benzema being able to return to the side in time for the finals still appear slim.

Angot and Zouaoui, both from Marseille, along with Houass, are suspected of using the presence of the sex tape to try to extort money from Valbuena.

Benzema approached Lyon playmaker Valbuena about the tape at a national team training camp in October and was charged by police on November 5.

His coach at Madrid, fellow Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, admitted on Friday that he was "tired" of the affair.

"I am tired of the Benzema affair, as is Karim. It would be good if this all ended as soon as possible," said Zidane at a press conference ahead of Saturday's home game against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.

"He wants to focus purely on football and I think that soon we will be able to forget all about this. I hope so."