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After Altercation With Karim Benzema, Al-Ittihad Sack Nuno Espírito Santo as They Look for a French Coach

Published 11/07/2023, 8:11 PM EST

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Karim Benzema decided to leave Real Madrid and join Al Ittihad, a few months ago. He became one of the big superstar signings in the Saudi Pro League. However, the decision has seemingly not gone well for him or the team yet. Mainly because the defending champions have decided to sack Nuno Espirito Santo amid rumors of an altercation with the lethal striker and the club is now looking for a French coach.

The decision to relieve Santo from his duties did not come across as too shocking news because Nuno was also not getting the results. This further means that the Portuguese coach could not build on from their tile win in the last season.

Al Ittihad parts ways with Nuno after his relationship degrades with Karim Benzema

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Nuno Espirito Santo led Al Ittihad to their first league title in over a decade. Following that, the owners sanctioned huge funds for him this summer. The club signed the likes of Karim Benzema from Real Madrid and N’Golo Kante from Chelsea on a free transfer. The owners thought these signings would take the team to the next level. However, things have gone south this season under Nuno after a poor start to the season. Sources also claim that the head coach had an altercation with Karim Benzema. This has led to the sacking of the Portuguese.

According to Relevo, both Nuno and Benzema had an altercation in the dressing room after their defeat against Al-Quwa. This also turned into an ugly situation as both called out each other. It is not the first time Nuno has had issues with Karim Benzema. For quite a few months, there have been rumors of him having a very poor relationship with the Frenchman, which ended up affecting the squad harmony. Hence, the owners had to make the difficult decision. The Saudi giants will now look for a French coach to suit the likes of Benzema and N’Golo Kante.

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Al Ittihad will hope to rescue their season under the new manager. Their current position on the points table speaks volumes about how their season has panned out until now. Did it really go wrong with Nuno’s coaching methods or is someone else at fault? What’s going on?

The current situation of Al Ittihad

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There were rumors that Nuno Espirito Santo and Karim Benzema were having issues with each other from the start of this season. In the end, it was clear that Al Ittihad would have to decide between keeping the Portuguese or the Frenchman. The head coach ended up facing the axe and now the Saudi giant is without a head coach. What will a new head coach be walking into?

Al Ittihad are currently 6th in the league. They are 11 points behind the first-placed Al Hilal and 4 points behind rivals Al-Ahli. Another aspect that never worked out is signing the big names from Europe. Luiz Felipe and Fabinho have not met the expectations on the pitch. In fact, it has become worse than last season.

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On the other hand, Karim Benzema has scored 5 goals and 3 assists for Al Ittihad in ten matches. While there is undoubted expertise filled in the squad, will the Saudi-based club manage to reportedly find the right French name for the job? What are your thoughts on the entire saga? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Anuj Nikhil Virjiani

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Anuj Virjiani is a soccer writer at Essentially Sports. With a fervent passion for the sport, especially the English Premier League, Anuj has meticulously cultivated his expertise in dissecting the game's technical intricacies and strategic nuances, both on and off the field. Anuj's cherished club is, interestingly, Newcastle United, and he has closely followed and analyzed the club's journey through its highs and lows, and enjoyed witnessing their triumphant promotion from the second tier, their recent takeover, and the remarkable qualification for the Champions League last season.
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Edited by:

Daniel D'Cruz