Al Ittihad Drop Karim Benzema, Jota & 9 Other Players Ahead of King Cup of Champions Clash vs. Al Faisaly: Reports

Karim Benzema has been in the headlines recently because of his feud with Marcelo Gallardo. The Frenchman who had initially expressed his desire to leave Al Ittihad ‘due to pressure’, seems to have backtracked on his statement. Moreover, he was in training for the upcoming King Cup clash against Al Faisaly on February 4th. However, with just hours to go for the game, a report has emerged claiming that the striker has been dropped from the squad altogether. Furthermore, he is not the only absentee for the game, but 10 other players have seemingly been ruled out as well. What is going on at Al Ittihad?

A recent report on X has provided a list of players unavailable for the match against Al Faisaly. The missing defenders include Luis Felipe, Zakaria Hawsawi, Saad Al-Mousa, Suwailem Al-Manhali, Muhannad Shanqeeti, and Omar Hawsawi. In midfield, they will be without the services of Igor Coronado, Hamed Al-Ghamdi, and Awad Al-Nashri. While in attack, Karim Benzema & Jota will be absent. While Al Ittihad, hasn’t provided any explanation for the possible absence of Benzema, who is already at loggerheads with the upper management, a journalist might have revealed vital information regarding the same.

As per Fares Al-Fazi, the Al Ittihad captain following the match against Al Nassr was granted permission to take a break for vacation. Notably, this isn’t the first time he’s unavailable for Al Ittihad. The former Real Madrid man had missed multiple training sessions in January, and there was a lot of speculation regarding his future at the Saudi club. However, it turned out that a 102 Mph hurricane had left him stranded while on vacation in Mauritius.

All things considered, the consensus is that Karim Benzema is not having the best time in Saudi. Having arrived as a Ballon d’Or winner, he was expected to help the defending champions continue their dominance. However, both Benzema and the team have struggled. Hence, just like many soccer fans, a French legend is puzzled as to why the striker didn’t just retire at Real Madrid.

Karim Benzema has ‘lost himself’ after joining an ‘artificial championship’, claims his country’s legend

Jean-Michel Larque still can’t understand why the striker moved to Al Ittihad. He said, “Benzema regrets it. Of course, everyone does what they want, but making an exit from the game is important for top players. I remember that he had expressed his desire to finish his career at Real Madrid. He had the opportunity. He lost himself by joining an artificial championship.”

Read More: Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad Boss Forces 2 Players Exit After Ex-Real Madrid Icon Makes Shock U-Turn

Moreover, Larque is surprised as to why Karim Benzema left Real Madrid despite constantly winning a bunch of trophies. His performances have also led to a lot of social media abuse aimed at him. Hence, just like Larque, would Benzema also be asking himself the question of why did he leave Madrid? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

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