The former French international joined the Middle East alongside his ex-Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in 2023, just a few months after earning the prestigious Golden Ball award, recognizing him as the best player globally.
While Benzema has scored 15 goals for Al-Ittihad, he unexpectedly missed returning to training after the mid-season break. Reports suggest that head coach Marcelo Gallardo has sidelined him. Shedding light on the situation, Benzema’s lawyer, Hugues Vigier, told BFMTV, “He has experienced ups and downs in his sporting life, perhaps this period is less prosperous. He was also injured. He left for a few days and was kept away from the team in Saudi Arabia by the cyclone (in Mauritius). He then returned to Saudi Arabia. We saw him rise from the ashes before. If you remember, he didn’t play much when he arrived at Real Madrid, then he became this absolutely essential player. He has less good moments and better moments. It’s like that for all athletes.”
Despite being associated with several English teams, including Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United, expressing interest in the January transfer window, there’s ongoing speculation about a return to Lyon. Vigier commented on the Ligue 1 rumors, stating, “When you reach this level and your performance dips momentarily, there’s often talk about the end of your career. While I would be pleased to see him return to Lyon, he hasn’t confirmed anything to me at this point.”
Benzema initially signed a two-year contract with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, with an option for a 12-month extension. However, recent rumors strongly link him with a return to Europe, merely months after embarking on this new challenge.
Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema
This season he played in total 15 times for 1212 minutes for Pro League.
Karim Benzema scored 9 goals for Al Ittihad. He procured 4 assists. He received no yellow cards and no red cards.
His team is currently 7th in Pro League. In the last match Al Ittihad lost 5-2 against Al Nassr. The next match in Pro League will be against Al Tai.
Al Ittihad performance and stats
Al Ittihad is currently 7th in the Pro League with 28 points.
In the last 18 games, it has won 8 times, drawn 4 times, and lost 6 times. In its last match, Al Ittihad lost 2-5 against Al Nassr.
It has a positive goal difference after scoring 34 goals and conceding 26.
Al Ittihad will play the next match in Pro League against Al Tai on Saturday 30th of December in Hail. The prediction is Al Ittihad winning the match.