Bacary Sagna calls Eric Cantona 'stupid' for accusing France boss Deschamps of Racism

Bacary Sagna has branded Eric Cantona 'stupid' for fuelling the race row which engulfed the France team in the approach to Euro 2016.

Cantona claimed last month that Karim Benzema, Hatem Ben Arfa and Samir Nasri had been omitted from the squad by Didier Deschamps on the basis of their North African roots.

'It's a choice, it's free speech' said Manchester City defender Sagna. 'It doesn't matter what race you are: French, North African or Chinese. The world is like this.

'He [Deschamps] is not a racist. I don't think there are any problems.

'It is stupid of him [Cantona] to say such things just before the Euros are about to start. It is bad timing. It's just such a pity there are always comments like this just before tournaments like the Euros.'

Deschamps has refused to respond but is thought to be considering legal action over the comments by Cantona.

The France manager left out Benzema at the direction of Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Federation, because the Real Madrid striker has been embroiled in a sex-tape blackmail scandal with Matheiu Valbuena, another player who is not in the squad.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls also waded into the controversy, backing the omission of Benzema.

Cantona, in an interview with the Guardian last month, said: 'Benzema is a great player. Ben Arfa is a great player. But Deschamps, he has a really French name. 

'Maybe he is the only one in France to have a truly French name. Nobody in his family mixed with anybody, you know. Like the Mormons in America.

'So I'm not surprised he used the situation of Benzema not to take him. Especially after Valls said he should not play for France. And Ben Arfa is maybe the best player in France today. But they have some origins. I am allowed to think about that.'

The row has undermined France's preparation for its first major tournament on home soil since the World Cup in 1998, which they won, beating Brazil 3-0 in the final in Paris.

Sagna said: 'I remember a lot of the criticism of the French team. I remember that everybody had doubts about the team. That everyone was against the team and against the coach.

'The team was very strong though and they started the World Cup very well. I think we have to be inspired by what they did and the way they surprised everyone by winning the tournament.

'I know a lot of people want to see something from this team. There's a lot of questions. We have been working had to be here today and to be ready. I think the team is ready but we won't know that until Friday.

'We did well in 2014 and we feel like reliving this thing we lived in 1998. We will see on Friday. There are a lot of people expecting a lot from us, especially when we play in the finals. We have a good team.'