Real Madrid director general Jorge Valdano has said that the club is fully supportive of Karim Benzema in helping him solve his personal problems. "He feels he is innocent and he will seek to prove it in the courts. We back the player until the final consequences because we believe in his innocence," he told reporters.

Karim Benzema, 22, and his France international colleague Franck Ribery were both placed under investigation by a Paris magistrate on Tuesday as part of a probe into a prostitution ring linked to a Champs Elysees nightclub.

Ribery's brother-in-law was also charged, but all three men were later released.

Earlier on Wednesday Benzema's lawyer Sylvain Cormier told AFP in France that the player denies having had sexual relations with the prostitute.

The 22-year-old player arrived back in Spain on Wednesday and he took part in an afternoon training session with the rest of his Real Madrid teammates.

Karim Benzema is set to be the big winner from the arrival of Jose Mourinho as new Real Madrid coach.

AS says Mourinho is a huge fan of the Frenchman and convinced he can help him reach his potential at Real.

Benzema has been linked with a switch to Manchester United, but Mourinho sees the youngster as his 'project' and will give the forward every chance to establish himself as a world star next season.

The Special One's backing of Benzema could mean trouble for Gonzalo Higuain, who is still to hear from the club about finalising marathon contract talks.

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Karim Benzema has expressed his desire to take a more active role in Manuel Pellegrini's team, with the hope of recovering his goalscoring form.

The Frenchman came on as a second half substitute against Zaragoza at the weekend, but voiced his desire for more minutes. "It is always a pleasure to return to the pitch, but it is complicated because I have not been able to put together a good number of matches. I lack continuity. Although I am training well, I need minutes to get better."

With four matches left in the season, Benzema hopes to keep helping his team, but acknowledged that the matter of most importance is the Liga title. "Sometimes I play more, sometimes less; that is a decision for the coach. This is a great club and that's how things are. I have to be ready to play the five, 15 or whatever minutes I am given."

Injury-plagued Real Madrid will have strikers Karim Benzema and Ruud Van Nistelrooy back for its Spanish Cup tie on Tuesday with third division minnows Alcorcon.

But Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain, who also missed the club's 0-0 draw with Sporting Gijon at the weekend, are still sidelined.

Frenchman Benzema was injured in both feet while Dutchman Van Nistelrooy has been out for several weeks with a thigh muscle injury.

Coach Manuel Pellegrini has also decided to rest several top players, including Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso and Kaka, for Real's first match in the Spanish Cup this season.

After losing to AC Milan in the Champions League in midweek, Real dropped two points in the title race with its draw at Gijon on Saturday as they failed to score for the first time this season.

Former Celtic, Aston Villa and Bayern Munich striker Alan McInally has revealed that Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was almost certain that he would seal a deal with Lyon for Karim Benzema before the French striker opted to move to Real Madrid. Speaking exclusively to sport.co.uk about the possible future destination of Franck Ribery, the player-turned-pundit hinted that United could lose out again to the Bernabeu side next summer.

“I’d like him [Ribery] to come to the Premier League because he’s a super player. That being said, Alex Ferguson I think was almost certain of getting Karim Benzema from Lyon and he ended up going to Real Madrid.

“I would think that with Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema – and goodness knows who else will be there before the end of the summer – that Franck is thinking a little bit of sun on his back in Spain is where he wants to be.

“You’re always second guessing, but if he doesn’t go to Manchester United he can only go to Real Madrid.”

Royston Drenthe is revelling at the prospect of playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema next term after the trio were bought by Real Madrid this summer.

Having received assurances that he was part of the club's plans, the Dutch wideman is looking ahead to the new campaign and could not hide his excitement.

Ronaldo's arrival has been popular among the whole Madrid squad and Drenthe is pleased to have the Portuguese star in the squad along with Kaka and Benzema.

"They are three incredible players. We have a team capable of winning everything," he told Real Madrid's official website.

"[Ronaldo] is phenomenal. He’s happy and friendly. He’s always smiling and joking, and on the pitch he’s an incredible player. He works a lot. He’s an impressive signing.

"I think Messi and Ronaldo are the best players in the world. He is a game breaker.

"Kaka too. He is an impressive player. When I was younger and I played on Playstation I always selected to play with Kaka and Ronaldo. They were the best and I loved playing with them.

"Who knows how many goals I scored with Kaka on the Playstation. Seriously, he will help me to improve my game."

New Real Madrid signing Karim Benzema has declared that he dreams of being crowned Europe's best player with his new club.

In an interview with AS, the talented attacker expressed his desire to repeat the successes of Zinedine Zidane and Raymond Kopa, the only previous French footballers to win the prestigious award while wearing the white of Madrid.

"I signed for Madrid to win titles and if we achieve these collective triumphs, maybe at some point an individual award will follow," he said.

"However, I must admit that one of my dreams is to win the Golden Ball [Ballon d'Or] playing in this team. I would follow in the footsteps of Zidane and Kopa."

The former Lyon star also said that he is looking foward to playing with the likes of Xabi Alonso and Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom he expects "to do great things in attack for Madrid".

Benzema spoke, too, of his boyhood hero, former Madrid striker Ronaldo, who he admits inspired him.

"I do not want to emulate Ronaldo and I do not want to be like him. I am inspired by him, but nothing more," he said.

Karim Benzema has welcomed new signing Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid.

The French striker said of the former Liverpool midfielder: "He is a great signing and provides very good passes. He will make this team much better because he brings many things to the midfield."

Of comparisons with Ronaldo, Benzema added: "I do not want to emulate Ronaldo and I do not want to be like him. I am inspired by him, but nothing more."

On almost joining Barcelona, Benzema added: "Barca is a great club, but my dream was joining Madrid. And I knew what Florentino Perez had done with the Galacticos.

"I knew what the club was capable of with this president. That's why I came here for this project. Moreover, he came to my house to talk to me. Five days before I signed for Madrid, Florentino came to talk about Madrid with me.

"He is a great person and a great president."

A late winner from Karim Benzema spared Real Madrid's blushes at the Tallaght stadium as the Spanish giants squeezed past tiny Shamrock
Rovers to kick off their pre-season preparations.

The £30m former Lyon forward coolly rolled the ball home four minutes from time to secure the win against the courageous Irishmen, who simply refused to be starstruck by the glittering array of talent facing them.

The impressive Benzema, who was by far Los Merengues' most exciting player on the night, eventually broke through in the closing minutes to slide the ball past the advancing Duggan to deflate the home side and allow Madrid to maintain their dignity.

Manuel Pellegrini will see the fixture as a useful opener as he ponders his preferred tactics and starting eleven, while Shamrock can hold their head high - they almost held the mighty Real Madrid.