In a surprising turn of events, Al-Ittihad has taken a drastic measure by excluding Karim Benzema from their Dubai training camp. The decision comes after the striker failed to attend various club events, including the pre-season presentation and several training sessions. Reports from Marca suggest that Benzema was given until Friday to report to the club’s facilities in Jeddah for the resumption of training after a prolonged break. Unfortunately, he never showed up, leading manager Marcelo Gallardo to make the tough call of omitting him from the squad heading to Dubai.
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This incident is not an isolated one, as the French forward has a history of negligence towards club obligations. Towards the end of 2023, Benzema reportedly missed three training sessions in Jeddah, just before the allocated holiday period for the Saudi Pro League side. His strained relationship with former manager Nuno Espirito Santo, documented in public spats, eventually resulted in the Portuguese manager’s sacking in November. Currently, Espirito Santo is back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.
The situation takes a more significant turn as there is a growing sentiment in the Middle East that the Ballon d’Or winner is falling short of expectations. Criticism peaked after his lackluster performance against Al-Nassr on Boxing Day, where Al-Ittihad suffered a 5-2 defeat with Cristiano Ronaldo, his former Real Madrid teammate, scoring twice while Benzema failed to find the net. Following widespread criticism, Benzema seemingly deleted his Instagram account.
Breaking: By order of coach Marcelo Gallardo, Karim Benzema was excluded from the Al-Ittihad camp in Dubai due to his absence from training! No matter what happens, Gallardo will not change his decision.Benzema is excluded from the camp.😳 (Marca) pic.twitter.com/sGEQuUgNRT
— Latest update On football (@latest94587) January 13, 2024
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Looking ahead, the recent events cast uncertainty over the future of the 36-year-old striker. European clubs seeking a quick-fix solution upfront may find Benzema appealing, but his current ineligibility for the Dubai training camp due to non-registration adds a layer of complexity to his immediate prospects.