The Saudi Pro League has reached an important stage. The results during this phase can prove vital for teams moving up and down the table. And considering their form this season, Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad looks a bit concerned. Nevertheless, one of their players has expressed hope after their shocking loss to Al Raed in their 17th game of the league.

The trophy holders were expected to do better after their reasonable transfer window. But the club’s recent below-par results led one of its main players to acknowledge the situation as he planned to move ahead.

A teammate of Karim Benzema expresses hope during an uneasy period

After losing yesterday’s game against Al Raed, Al Ittihad’s forward, Romarinho, acknowledged that the team was low in spirits recently. The Brazilian, who has been playing in Jeddah since 2018, felt that they should win against Al Nassr in their next clash to raise spirits. Romarinho said, “A win against Al Nassr will improve our morale.”

Al Ittihad lost three games with two draws in the league in the last two months. And that, in turn, seemed to have gotten into the team’s psyche. The team’s exit from the FIFA Club World Cup after a loss to Al Ahly was also a dent in their season’s ambition. Now Romarinho understands the significance of a win against second-placed Al Nassr to keep them going for the rest of the season.

The club will look up to Karim Benzema to lift them up in the crucial clash. Benzema has already scored 12 goals in 19 games for the champions since joining the club on a two-and-a-half-year deal worth $200 million. But the France international could not save his team from a defeat against Al Raed yesterday.

Al Ittihad drops points against Al Raed

It was quite a shock for the second-most successful club in the league to lose to 17th-placed Al Raed. The team’s loss has seen them drop to 6th from 5th in the table, shaking their hope for a top-2 finish. Al Ittihad received a blow in just the 12th minute of the game when the defender, Madallah Alolayan, received a red card and was sent away.

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Benzema’s team then looked vulnerable in the defense, conceding three goals in the aftermath of being down to ten men. Romarinho was the only player to score for the visitors when he scored in the 25th minute of the game. Al Ittihad will now try to leave the result behind and look for a win against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on Tuesday. The club will have a home advantage and can expect the crowd to get behind them, boosting their morale.

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