Karim Benzema has spoken out about his passion for Al Ittihad, despite allegations of a breach with manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Benzema joined the Saudi Pro League club from Real Madrid this summer, following in the footsteps of former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
He’s already proven his worth to his new squad, scoring three goals in six appearances across all competitions.
However, his services may be judged surplus to needs because Santo is said to have told the club’s board that the Frenchman does not fit into his tactical philosophy.
According to the bombshell story from Saudi publication Asharq Al-Awsat, the Portuguese manager did not request the signing of the star striker, causing tension in the dressing room between the two characters.
It’s been said that Benzema also demanded the captaincy at Al Ittihad, which was denied by the former Tottenham manager, who instead awarded the armband to Romarinho.
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The rumored schism between Benzema and Santo has opened the door for the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner to go.
However, Al Ittihad have tried to play down the situation as they posted a short video of the 35-year-old, accompanied with the caption: “KB9 always happy.”
They released a video of Benzema and Santo conversing during a training session on Snapchat.
The club’s videos were republished on the player’s social media pages, implying that he is content despite the reports.
Benzema has appeared in Al Ittihad’s first two league games of the season, providing an assist in their 3-0 win over Al Raed.
They return to league action tonight as they travel to Al Riyadh.