According to the Sun, Al Ittihad administration was warned by coach Nuno Espirito Santo that Karim Benzema did not fit his style.
The genesis of the feud between Nuno and Benzema is alleged to be the Portuguese coach’s refusal to allow the French striker to serve as captain, as he had demanded.When Nuno met directly with club leaders to present this situation, tensions reached a height.Al Ittihad is now confronted with two options: fire the coach or accept the number one reserve player.
According to the Sun, Nuno believes Benzema’s style is not his, and Al Ittihad signed the 35-year-old striker without consulting him.Benzema, on the other hand, claimed that the coach was unprofessional.
Al Ittihad’s contract with Benzema is rumored to include a condition requiring the French striker to wear the captain’s armband when he joins the club.Nuno, on the other hand, was not convinced.He passed the captaincy to the great Romarinho club.The Portuguese coach led Al Ittihad to the Saudi Pro League title last season and feels he has the authority to make decisions in the locker room.
This summer, Benzema is the biggest name to relocate to Saudi Arabia.Al Ittihad pays him 219 million USD per year, the second highest wage in the world after his former colleague Cristiano Ronaldo, who is paid 220 million by Al Nassr.
The former Real Madrid striker got off to a flying start in the Arab Club Champions Cup, scoring three goals in four games.However, Benzema was eliminated in the first two rounds of the Saudi Pro League 2023-2024, despite Al Ittihad’s victory.
Nuno and Benzema’s feud has caused the French striker to miss a few recent training sessions.The fact that Nuno criticized the 2022 Golden Ball for not matching his style startled supporters.
One Twitter user said, “If a five-time Champions League winner like Benzema doesn’t fit Nuno’s style, he probably doesn’t have any style at all.””Benzema is the best player in the world,” said another. Find a way to assemble a squad around him, Nuno.”
In 14 years at Real Madrid, Benzema scored 354 goals in 648 games.
