Karim Benzema fined 18,000 euros for speeding

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been fined 18,000 euros ($23,335, £15,580) and banned from driving for eight months after being caught speeding, a Spanish court confirmed on Friday.

The court in Alcorcon, near Madrid, found the French international guilty of driving at 194.4 kilometres (120.8 miles) per hour - more than 80kmph over the limit - in the early hours on Sunday, February 3.

"The Court of First Instance has today found Real Madrid player Karim Benzema guilty in a case held at 10.00 hours this morning with the punishment of a daily fine of 150 euros for eight months (amounting to 18,000 euros) and the removal of his driving licence for eight months and one day," said a statement from the court.

The trial had been brought forward from Tuesday, March 26 because of the likelihood that Benzema would be involved in a World Cup qualifying match between France and Spain in Paris that evening.

"The day of the 26th had been put in place for the trial to take place," said a spokesman for the court.

"However, it became clear after the fixing of that date that this coincided with the date of the game between France and Spain.

"Therefore, the prosecutor and Benzema's lawyer looked for a date that would suit both parties and that has been this morning."

Benzema is not the only Madrid player to have fallen foul of the law for driving offences in recent weeks.

Left-back Marcelo was fined 6,000 euros for driving after his licence had been revoked, whilst Mesut Ozil was fined 500 euros and had six points removed from his licence for performing an illegal turn.