The conflict worsens between Karim Benzema and Al-Ittihad. The 2022 Ballon d’Or, citing “pressure”, asked to leave the club “temporarily” while refusing a loan to another team in the Saudi championship, favoring a return to Europe. The French striker’s golden early retirement in Saudi Arabia is clearly much more complicated than expected. Under fire for his very average performances since his arrival in June, the former Real Madrid player seems ready to very quickly close this chapter of his career, to try to relaunch under other skies.
Feeling “unable to give the best of himself to Al-Ittihad because of the pressure”, according to a source close to the club, Benzema expressed his desire to leave to his leaders, who however are not considering a move. other options than a loan to another team in the Saudi Pro League. A proposal rejected for the moment by the player.
Contacted by AFP, the entourage of the Frenchman, aged 36 and under contract until 2026, did not wish to confirm this information. Returning to Jeddah 17 days late after the end-of-year holidays, Benzema was deprived of a preparation tour in Dubai and must train alone for “disciplinary reasons”. Friday, a “very lively” and “heated” meeting on the future of N.9 was even held between the club’s board of directors, coach Marcelo Gallardo and Karim Benzema himself, said a source close to Al-Ittihad.
Astronomical salary
The standoff is therefore underway between the two parties and the suspense is complete to know if the Frenchman will still wear the same jersey when the championship resumes on February 7. Arriving with great fanfare last summer and symbol, with Cristiano Ronaldo, of the great Saudi offensive targeting the stars of European football, Benzema seems to have quickly become disillusioned. With an astronomical salary (100 million euros per year, according to several media), he quickly attracted the wrath of fans and the local press due to performances unworthy of his status.
This season, Benzema has only scored 9 goals and delivered 5 assists, far behind Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 20 goals and 9 assists with Al-Nassr. His missed penalty against the Egyptians of Al-Ahly on December 15 during the Club World Cup particularly angered the supporters of Al-Ittihad, host of the competition, but exited ingloriously after only two matches.
The Jeddah club, 7th in the Saudi Pro League after three consecutive defeats, is also the one which has conceded the most goals in the league and scored the fewest among the four teams bought by the rich Saudi Sovereign Fund (PIF), despite the presence alongside Benzema of players of the caliber of 2018 world champion N’Golo Kanté and the Brazilian Fabinho.
Not many exit doors
Enough to plunge into the crisis Al-Ittihad which separated from its coach Nuno Espirito Santo in November before hiring the Argentinian Marcelo Gallardo. Despite a delicate sporting situation and a difficult acclimatization to his new environment, Benzema does not have many possibilities to escape from his golden exile. No team in Europe can match its emoluments and Saudi Arabia will not easily let go of a prize as prestigious as a Ballon d’Or, recruited to be one of the main ambassadors of its “soft power”. “There is no option for Benzema to leave this month,” said a source close to the Saudi Sovereign Fund (PIF).
Karim Benzema’s discomfort in Saudi Arabia in any case highlights the difficulties in integrating several European recruits enlisted by the kingdom. England international Jordan Henderson, who left Al-Ettifaq to join Ajax Amsterdam, has admitted it has been a “difficult” six months. As for defender Aymeric Laporte, who plays for Al-Nassr, he explained that many players were not “satisfied”, adding that he could leave “if this dynamic continues”, before returning to his declarations.