Karim Benzema says he is thankful to have had the backing of Zinedine Zidane and the rest of the staff at Real Madrid in the wake of the Mathieu Valbuena blackmail case.
Benzema, 27, was charged with conspiracy to blackmail last month for an alleged role in an attempt to extort funds from Valbuena, his France international teammate, using a sex tape.
The Madrid striker denies any wrongdoing and on Tuesday his lawyers issued a request for a confrontation hearing with Lyon winger Valbuena.
Benzema put his off-field concerns to one side with a hat trick in Real Madrid's 8-0 win over Malmo in the Champions League on Tuesday night, and he said was pleased to receive the support of Zidane, who is currently manager of the Spanish club's reserve side Real Madrid Castilla.
Last weekend, the former France international urged the French Football Federation (FFF) not to suspend Benzema and to focus purely on what he is capable of doing on the pitch.
"Of course it made me happy -- but with 'Zizou,' I wasn't waiting for his statement to know that he supported me," Benzema told L'Equipe.
"We speak a lot together. We see each other often. He's like a big brother to me here."
Benzema's hat trick against Malmo followed a double in Madrid's 4-1 league win over Getafe at the weekend.
The goal-scoring streak has provided a welcome distraction from the Valbuena controversy.
"I'm only focused on my football," he said after the Malmo game. "You can say what you like about me. But me, I feel good here and I only concern myself with football and the people that like me.
"The rest is not my problem. I feel that the club has confidence in me, that my teammates do too. My family as well of course. I play for the people who love me.
"Real are a team that don't abandon you. In bad and in good moments, they're all behind me. That starts with the president [Florentino Perez]."
FFF president Noel Le Graet is expected to address the controversy surrounding Benzema at a news conference on Thursday.
There are reports that the FFF could suspend the player until the court case is resolved, a move that would put Benzema's hopes of lining out for France during Euro 2016 at risk.
"We'll see," Benzema said when asked about the FFF's position. "Me, I'm concentrating on my club.
"Beyond that, there's a justice system and you would have to wait for the justice system before doing whatever it might be, but that concerns the president and the federation."
Real Madrid full-back Alvaro Arbeloa also offered his backing to Benzema after Tuesday's game.
"We knows that we trust in him because we have known him for a long time," he told reporters. "He has an enormous heart and we will put our hand in the fire for him.
"He has to be calm and keep playing like he has done up until now, not only with the three goals today but also with the great season that he has had."