Real Madrid Legend Benzema Goes AWOL In Saudi Arabia Before Match

Real Madrid legend and Al-Ittihad striker Karim Benzema allegedly went AWOL before a match for the Saudi Pro League team on December 30 as reported by Al-Riyadiya.

According to the outlet, 2022's Ballon d'Or king left newly-adopted hometown Jeddah for unknown reasons on the eve of his club taking on Al-Tai and did not train on Thursday or Friday.

Benzema's head coach Marcelo Gallardo couldn't offer an explanation for the development to Al-Riyadiya, but the match has now been cancelled as explained in a statement

The league explained that it received an e-mail from Al-Ittihad requesting to postpone the match, and that the decision to take such action was also based on an airline report detailing how a plane which would have carried Benzema's teammates "cannot land at Ha'il International Airport due to bad weather conditions".

The match has been re-arranged to take place on February 7, but this incident regarding Benzema will only intensify the spotlight on the 36-year-old.

The five-time Champions League winner switched to Al-Ittihad in the summer but has only managed to get them to sixth place in the Saudi Pro League alongside fellow former European football stars N'Golo Kante and Fabinho.

Speaking to the AFP, a source close to Al-Ittihad management confessed that the marquee signings "have not yet achieved the desired result".

"Of course, we were expecting more from Benzema especially, but we realise his value as a world-class player.

"It is not always easy to move to a new country and league and shine immediately. It is a matter of time," the source added.

Saudi sports broadcaster Abdul Karim Al-Jasser told the Al-Ekhbariya channel that Benzema is experiencing a "very strange situation" that sometimes affects a "high-level tactical player".

"He may be at odds with the situation at Al-Ittihad and the internal affairs of the club," Jasser acknowledged.

"But that does not excuse him because he doesn't make any effort in matches, misses very easy opportunities, and seems to have lost the desire to play football."

Benzema has also been criticized by his club's fans, and appeared to delete his popular Instagram account on social media after Al-Ittihad lost 5-2 to ex-Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr outfit on December 26.

Despite him missing chances that he would have put away easily in his Bernabeu heyday, Benzema's return of nine goals in 15 Saudi Pro League games still isn't that bad. The tally does pale in comparison to Ronaldo's 19 successful strikes, however.