Why Is Karim Benzema Absent From Al Ittihad’s Squad Against Navbahor? Injury Or Contract Drama?

Karim Benzema continues to find himself as the center of attention, following his rift with Marcelo Gallardo. The Al Ittihad skipper stormed out of the team training session last week and has been absent from all the subsequent sessions. To add more fuel to the fire, the Frenchman also deleted all social media posts related to the club following his return to social media. Well, it looks like the club might be done with the player’s antics, as Al Ittihad named their squad for the clash against Navbahor, leaving Benzema absent from the traveling group. The fall from grace now goes at a rapid pace!

The striker has been linked to a move away from the club following his bust-up with the Al Ittihad head coach. The French striker reportedly wanted to leave the club this January but could not find a potential suitor who would pay his massive paycheck. However, the striker could follow in Jordan Henderson’s footsteps and mutually terminate his contract to spark an exit from the club. The Saudi Pro League is swiftly losing some players they acquired! 

Karim Benzema absent from the Al Ittihad squad following fallout with Marcelo Gallardo

The defending SPL Champions will travel to Uzbekistan later this week, taking on Navbahor in the AFC Champions League Round of 16. However, the side will be without the services of their top scorer, Karim Benzema, with the striker kept out of the squad for the fixture. Benzema found himself in the thick of things following Al Ittihad’s defeat to Al Nassr in December. 

The striker was less than pleased with the fans’ reaction, who targeted him for the team’s loss. Gallardo’s reaction during the post-match press conference also set off the striker as the manager went all in on the Frenchman, demanding him to enhance his performance. Yet, those demands were unmet!

The striker stormed off the team’s training session in January after a bust-up with Gallardo, deleting his social media account. However, when Benzema returned to the squad last month, it seemed like the striker was unhappy with his situation and had once again deserted his team.

READ MORE: After Shocking U-Turn on Saudi Exit, Karim Benzema’s Move Declined by Manchester United Citing ‘Exorbitant’ Wages

What’s next for Coco?

With how things have turned so far, it looks unlikely that Karim Benzema and Marcelo Gallardo co-exist on the same team. The French star’s dispute with his manager has been a growing concern among the team management. Adding salt to their wounds, the defending Saudi Pro League champions have failed to produce the desired results this season, with the team languishing in fifth place in the points table.

If things do not change in the coming weeks, the side could take heavy actions on either Benzema or Gallardo. While usually managers are the ones who are responsible for the team’s poor run, Benzema could be the one who draws the shorter end of the stick in this saga. Who do you think will end up leaving Al Ittihad first? Let us know in the comments below.

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