Hatem Ben Arfa's footballing ability is well known. A lack of consistency has overshadowed his magical goals and assists, which he has not had the chance to showcase at Paris Saint-Germain. Despite this, he is still compared with Lionel Messi.
'I won't beat around the bush: Ben Arfa has as much quality as Messi, which is why it pains me to see him in this situation. It's a shame, seriously, because he managed to start from scratch," Benzema pointed out in an interview for 'Canal+'.
The Real Madrid striker was referring to Ben Arfa's spell at Nice after overcoming a string of injuries and problems with former clubs, only to see his progress stymied at Paris Saint-Germain.
"At Nice he proved he can make a difference at any time. Now, at his age, I'm not sure if he has the same motivation to accept the challenge again, I don't know...," Benzema lamented.
Members of the same generation of French footballers born in 1987, Benzema and Ben Arfa took different career paths after playing together at Lyon.