Valbuena willing to join up with Benzema

PARIS • Mathieu Valbuena indicated yesterday that he would be willing to play alongside Karim Benzema at Euro 2016 despite the ongoing blackmail case involving the striker.

"We will see how it goes, but yes, no problem, anything is possible. It wasn't like it was a murder," he said.

His comments come despite Benzema being sidelined by the French Football Federation after being charged with complicity to blackmail and conspiring to commit a criminal act involving a sex tape featuring Valbuena.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Butt & Asif in winning return after ban

HYDERABAD • Pakistan's former skipper Salman Butt smashed a century while left-armer Mohammad Asif picked up two wickets in their victorious joint return to domestic cricket yesterday, months after they completed five-year bans for spot-fixing.

The duo, along with Mohammad Amir, were banned by the International Cricket Council for their roles in a complex betting scam in a Test against England in 2010. The three players and their agent Mazhar Majeed were later jailed in Britain.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

1st woman F1 driver dies at age 89

PARIS • Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first woman to compete in Formula One, has died at the age of 89, the Grand Prix Drivers Club announced on Saturday.

The Italian trailblazer competed in three grands prix behind the wheel of a privately-entered Maserati.

She finished 10th on her debut at Spa in Belgium in 1958 aged 32. She then failed to finish races in Portugal and Italy.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Aubameyang not leaving, says coach

BERLIN • Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel insisted that top scorer and recently- crowned African Player of the Year, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, will not be sold in the transfer window.

The striker has been linked with a move to Arsenal and Manchester United.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE