The current times at Al Ittihad do not seem simple at all and on the contrary They don’t seem like they’re going to improve either, at least not in the near future; The team led by Argentine Marcelo Gallardo is moving further and further away from the qualification zone for what will be the upcoming edition of the Asian Champions League.
The Saudi Pro League club where the former Real Madrid forward lives, Frenchman Karim Benzemacould not defeat Al Taawon at home in a duel that was tied at zero goals, while Al Ahli (third in the classification table), also tied with Al Wehda and continues with 5 points above Al Ittihad.
Benzema, who is the top figure of the Tigres, was able to participate in the 90 minutes of the match, but once again without scoring, which has weighed heavily on the Frenchman who continues to be singled out by fans since he is not even the shadow of what he was at the time in his best years as a player in Europe. The French striker has not been able to score again since December 15, in a match that took place in the Club World Cup.
Poor performance for Benzema
The team led by Argentine Marcelo Gallardo did not have its best game And if that were not enough, the best scoring opportunity did not pass through the feet of the former Real Madrid striker; 9 minutes into the match from the penalty spot, Abderrazak Hamdallah missed and Al Ittihad was left without victory for the second day in a row. The fans showed their discontent with the club’s poor performance, who demonstrated it by turning their backs on the team when the anthem of the team that was champion of the Saudi Pro League last season was played.
“We depend on a very limited group of players and we must compete with them and find solutions. We are in the final phase of the league and this is the team we have. After the season finale, the conversation will be different. The current situation is one in which we must improve performance and overcome difficulties,” analyzed the so-called ‘Muñeco’ Gallardo in a post-match interview, marking the playing field, but without losing serenity.
Strong statements from Benzema that were not liked much
For his part, Karim Benzema seems to have completely exploded and was much less diplomatic. with his version of the events and went further with his words: “I am not the same as Real Madrid. It is not the same club, it is not the same players. I need help on the field, I can’t win alone”, he apologized when talking about his drought in the scoring box. The interpretations began and the conflict continued to be present due to Benzema’s statements, since on social networks many fans pointed out that it was a clear message against his teammates and his current coach.
Gallardo vs Benzema: A never-ending story
Since Gallardo’s arrival at the Arab club on the substitute bench, there have been several clashes between him and the French player, one of the most recognized when the forward returned late from the end of the year vacation and blamed it on a storm in his vacation spot.
According to information from Italian Fabrizio Romano, the transfer guru In Europe, the attacker will evaluate offers in the middle of the year to set a different course in what would be a new stage in his career. “We’ll see, for me the most important thing is to be here for the moment, we’ll see what happens in the future,” declared Benzema. “Every day there are many new things. We’ll see,” he concluded.
Keep reading:
Karim Benzema returned to the squad and Al-Ittihad achieved a victory against Al-Riyad
Al-Ittihad with the mission of buying Mohamed Salah and joining him with Karim Benzema, whatever the cost
Karim Benzema considers Vinicius Júnior the best player after his performance against Girona