Karim Benzema’s arrival in Saudi Arabia was expected to be a fairytale swansong for the Frenchman, but it has turned into a nightmare. The former Real Madrid striker reportedly stormed out of Al Ittihad’s training after he refused to train alone, further continuing his ongoing feud with manager Marcelo Gallardo.
Spanish media outlet Marca reported that Benzema decided to ignore Gallardo’s orders to train alone, and it didn’t go well with the Argentine manager, who also chose to exclude him from the upcoming Saudi Pro League match vs Al Tai.
Meanwhile, Benzema has also reportedly been asked to leave group training sessions as Gallardo feels that he is fit enough to work with the rest of the team. But Benzema has a different take on the situation, and insists that he finished his individual training sessions in pre-season. On Tuesday, Benzema was seen training in the gym with injured players.
According to reports, Benzema and Gallardo are not in talking terms currently, with a complete breakdown in communication. The feud began after Benzema’s delayed return from the mid-season break. He is also being linked to sides like Manchester United and Chelsea. The former Lyon player also reportedly held crunch talks with the club officials, but it hasn’t resolved the issue.
Earlier, it was reported that Benzema had revealed his desire to leave the club during his meeting. He explained that he was unable to perform due to the pressure and wanted to leave the club temporarily. Since his arrival, Benzema has scored nine goals in 15 Saudi Pro League appearances and has also registered five assists.
Saudi Pro League has seen Jordan Henderson depart Al Ettifaq to join Dutch side Ajax recently. Although, the English midfielder explained that his decision to return to Europe was to put him in contention for the Euro 2024 squad. It was also reported that his family found it hard to settle in the region. Meanwhile, his image as a LGBTQ rights supporter took a downfall after his move to Saudi Arabia.