Fortunes can change swiftly in the world of professional soccer. Just a few weeks ago, Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad appeared to be on the path toward uninterrupted success. Led by the Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, and a host of other high-profile additions, Al-Ittihad started the season with great intensity. They won their first four league games without conceding a goal. However, as the season progressed, the victories turned into stalemates and losses, and Al-Ittihad now finds itself in a slump.

With just two wins in their last eight fixtures, the team has left their fans and management deeply concerned about their form. Reportedly, there’s an axe hovering above boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s future at the club.

Famous journalist demands Nuno Espirito Santo’s dismissal

After Al-Ittihad’s latest 1-0 defeat against rival side Al-Shabab, the pressure on head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has reached a tipping point. As the club’s form has remained a consistent concern in the past few weeks, a prominent journalist and TV show host Walid Al-Farraj has now demanded the dismissal of Nuno Santo. This bold stance by Al-Farraj has fueled the debate and amplified the weight on Nuno’s shoulders.

Al-Farraj has asked for the appointment of former Saudi Arabia U23 head coach Saad Al-Shehri for the head coach’s position at Al-Ittihad. This claim by Al-Farraj further complicates the scenario. Nuno Espirito Santo has been facing criticism for the past few weeks for various reasons. Reports stated that the Portuguese manager had some rifts with Karim Benzema, which he later refuted.

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However, with the latest development from Al-Farraj, and Al-Ittihad’s continued woes in the Saudi League, the fate of Nuno Santo now hangs in the balance. The club owners have a vital decision to make, whether to sack Nuno or offer him another chance for redemption. It will be interesting to see how well the former Tottenham Hotspur coach will respond to this setback.

No saving grace for Karim Benzema and Al-Ittihad

Despite a solid start to the season, the defending Saudi League champions now face an unsettling period of despair. The club has failed to register a single win in their last five outings, claiming just 3 points out of a possible 15. Al-Ittihad’s last league victory came back in September against Al Fateh. Though Karim Benzema has made a significant impact with five goals and three assists in ten games, the club’s performance has fallen short of expectations.

Al-Ittihad is currently sitting in the 6th position in the league table, 11 points adrift from leaders Al-Hilal. They currently find themselves in a tricky situation. Al-Ittihad must quickly find a solution to their struggles if they wish to challenge the likes of Neymar’s Al-Hilal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the quest to defend the title.

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