Karim Benzema, who joined Saudi Arabia this summer, is apparently going through a period of frustration following his transfer. After years of success and excellence at Real Madrid, the French player seems to have misjudged the situation at his new club.
So where does this leave Karim Benzema? Although he seemed happy with his decision to move to Saudi Arabia last summer, after his contract with Real Madrid came to an end, the reality seems to be different. Recently, Saudi and Spanish media have reported an atmosphere of unease within the Al-Ittihad club. It would even appear that the French striker is at odds with his new coach, Marcelo Gallardo.
Karim Benzema, the former Real Madrid player, is facing unforeseen circumstances that are disrupting his presence at his current club. After an absence at the end of December for “personal reasons”, presumably due to injury, it is now his absence from a training camp and training sessions that is attracting media attention. Benzema is currently stranded on Mauritius, where he was on holiday with his family, due to cyclone Belal, which is hitting the Indian Ocean. This situation has been confirmed by people close to Benzema, quoted by L’Équipe. It seems that there is no great urgency for his return, given that the Saudi league does not resume until 7 February.
Karim Benzema in a complicated situation
Benzema, currently frustrated, is experiencing a complicated situation at his new club. As we revealed at the end of December, an early departure, in the manner of Jordan Henderson who is about to join Ajax, was never envisaged and is still not on the table. However, the 36-year-old expresses his frustration at several aspects of his experience with his current team. He had anticipated a higher level of play and has expressed his lack of certain elements since leaving Real Madrid last summer, such as specific requirements.
Benzema was surprised by a certain lack of professionalism in areas such as recovery. “Every day there are stories,” a Saudi league official told L’Équipe. What’s more, Al-Ittihad are currently a long way behind the other leading teams in the league, occupying 8th place, 25 points behind leaders Al-Hilal. After more than a decade of success at Real Madrid, the gap is considerable. However, the Frenchman does not seem ready to give up his sporting choice, with a two-year contract worth €200 million. Despite recent rumours about OL, it seems unlikely that he will leave his current post any time soon.
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