KARIM BENZEMA was forced to leave the pitch with a dead leg Tuesday as world champions France beat Bulgaria 3-0 in their final friendly one week before beginning their Euro 2020 campaign.

Benzema was taken off in the 39th minute at the Stade De France in what is France’s last match before the side takes on Germany in their opening Group F match of the European Championship against Germany on June 15.

France also faces reigning European champion Portugal and Hungary, which will play two of their group matches in front of big crowds at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

The 33-year-old Benzema had been recalled with great fanfare to the national team following a near six-year exile, but his replacement Olivier Giroud showed why Les Bleus are considered among the favorites for the tournament with a late brace, which took his France total to 46.

Giroud, 34, is now just five goals behind France’s all-time top scorer Thierry Henry but will likely be sidelined when Benzema returns.

“When people call on me, the most important thing is to do the job,” Giroud told broadcaster M6.

“I had good service from my teammates. They know where I’m going to be in the box so I just tried to finish well.”

Antoine Griezmann scored the opening goal in front of 5,000 joyous supporters who were also celebrating their return to live soccer in the stadium.

Charlene Lecuir was one of those fans lucky enough to get a ticket for Tuesday’s match, and told AFP she let out a “scream of joy” when she learned she would be attending.

Fans were allowed in if they had a negative test for COVID-19 within the previous 48 hours or proof they had been completely innoculated for the virus.

(SD-Agencies)