Al-Ittihad is reportedly irate with Karim Benzema and plans to exclude him from their Dubai training camp after he failed to attend several training sessions with the Saudi Pro League team.
According to Marca, Benzema, the French striker, was expected to report to the club’s facilities in Jeddah by Friday as the team resumed training after an extended break. However, Benzema allegedly did not show up, forcing Ittihad’s manager, Marcelo Gallardo, to make the difficult decision to drop him from the squad traveling to Dubai.
The report also suggests that this is not the first instance of Benzema’s disregard for club events. The Frenchman reportedly missed three training sessions in Jeddah at the end of 2023, before the scheduled holiday period for the Saudi Pro League team. His disputes with former manager Nuno Espirito Santo were also widely reported, leading to the Portuguese’s dismissal in November. Benzema has since returned to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.
There is reportedly a growing sentiment in the Middle East that the Ballon d’Or winner is not living up to expectations. Benzema was heavily criticized for his performance against Al-Nassr and his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo on Boxing Day. Ittihad suffered a 5-2 defeat, with Ronaldo scoring two goals and Benzema failing to score. Following widespread criticism, the Frenchman apparently deleted his Instagram account.
These recent events may cast doubt on the future of the 36-year-old, with prominent European clubs currently seeking a quick-fix solution for their forward line. However, in the short term, Benzema will not be eligible to participate in the Dubai training camp as his absence resulted in him not being officially registered.
