Al Ittihad had a shambolic night in their latest encounter in the Saudi Pro League. The side suffered a rough 5-2 defeat at the hands of Al Nassr, leaving fans frustrated with the team’s performance. Skipper Karim Benzema came under massive fire, with fans blaming the French striker for the team’s defeat. It seems like the excessive criticism has gotten to the player, as the Frenchman reportedly missed the team’s latest training session.

During their previous encounter, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co battered Al Ittihad. While the defending champions had some control during the early half of the game, Al Nassr dominated Al Ittihad in the final 25 minutes, scoring three consecutive goals to bag the win.

Karim Benzema skips out on Al Ittihad’s training following massive defeat

Al Ittihad will have to hit the ground running in the remaining half of the season. The defending SPL champions have fallen behind in the title race and have a lot of work at hand. However, the team’s efforts might have already hit a roadblock. According to reports, Karim Benzema has missed all the team’s training sessions following their defeat at the hands of Al Nassr.

According to reports, “Since his loss to Al-Nassr, Benzema has not attended any Al-Ittihad training. This is not the first time he has missed training. There are no clear reasons for his absence!”

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They have also reported that the player is not too pleased with criticism. Benzema deleted his Instagram account following the barrage of online hate. However, amidst the criticism, it seems like not everyone holds the player responsible for the team’s drubbing.

READ MORE: Karim Benzema Deactivates Instagram After Al Ittihad’s Humbling by Cristiano Ronaldo & Al Nassr

Benzema’s coach lambasts fans for singling out the French striker

Al Ittihad fell flat on their face against Al Nassr in their previous encounter, suffering an embarrassing defeat against their rivals. The team’s defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for the Al Ittihad ultras, who held the striker responsible for his team’s defeat. However, their actions did not sit well with Benzema’s coach, who fired back, demanding the fans to put some respect on the striker’s name.

The Frenchman’s coach took to social media to address the fan, stating, “You can’t blame just one player in a match. There are 11 players. It’s not a tennis match, it’s football.”

Do you think Al Ittihad fans and critics are being too harsh on Karim Benzema? Let us know in the comments below.

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