Karim Benzema is not making headlines for the best of reasons lately. The Al Ittihad superstar deactivated his Instagram account after an embarrassing defeat against Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. Adding insult to injury, Al Ittihad fans have nicknamed him ‘Ben-Hazima,’ which means the son of defeat. Now, Benzema hasn’t shown up for the team’s training and will miss today’s Al Ittihad-Al Tai match. Turns out, the Frenchman is not even in Jeddah– the city that houses the club!

The match against Al Tai is paramount for Al Ittihad. If they win, they will surpass Damac and move a position up in the Saudi Pro League table. But the job won’t be too easy for the reigning champions without Karim Benzema. Where is he?

Why will Karim Benzema miss the Al Ittihad-Al Tai match?

Karim Benzema had not participated in Al Ittihad’s last few training sessions. According to Nawaf Al Tamimi on X, the lethal goalscorer has left the club’s home, Jeddah for an undisclosed ‘special circumstance’. Subsequently, the captain was not seen amongst the fleet of Al Ittihad players who left for the away trip today. Karim Benzema’s whereabouts are unclear till now. However, his absence will cost the Ittihad side, as N’Golo Kante and Abderrazak Hamdallah would have to take the team’s responsibility on their shoulders.

Though Al Ittihad’s current form is lackluster compared to their last season’s title-winning campaign, Karim Benzema has consistently delivered for the club. The Frenchman has bagged nine goals and five assists in 15 matches. But that has failed to impress the club’s faithful. Per recent social media chatter, the five-time UEFA Champions League winner is going through a rough patch in Jeddah, courtesy of Al Ittihad fans.

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Does the ex-Real Madrid veteran have it in him to prove the fans wrong?

Al Ittihad fans have not only nicknamed Benzema the ‘son of defeat’. They have vehemently pointed out that the former Real Madrid striker is being lazy. Meanwhile, Saudi journalists also reportedly call out the Frenchman consistently. Renowned journalist Waleed Al Farraj said that Benzema is making no effort to bridge the widening gap between him and the public in Jeddah.

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

Perhaps the pressure of all this scrutiny, coupled with a devastating loss against Al Nassr, has prompted the Ittihad skipper to give up Instagram. But has all this got a say in Benzema’s sudden departure from Jeddah? Only time will tell. Anyhow, the #9 has still got what it takes to prove his critics wrong. Perhaps he will return to Jeddah stronger. If not, will Karim Benzema’s signing go down in history as a flop of a blockbuster deal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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