Karim Benzema had one of the best seasons of his career in 2022 when he won the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid. The Frenchman took the world by surprise delivering the performance of his lifetime. Benzema further went on to win the Ballon d’Or 2022, arguably the highest honor a soccer star can have. His journey at Real Madrid finally came to a halt in June 2023 when he decided to leave the club and join Al Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.
After seeing Benzema scoring goal after goal in Europe, many expected him to carry over such a performance to Saudi as well. Sadly, things do not seem to be going his way and he is reportedly facing some issues at his new club.
Al-lttihad manager unhappy with Karim Benzema
It has only been a few months since Karim Benzema joined Al-Ittihad as a free transfer but reports of him not fitting in at the club have already surfaced. There is tension between him and the team’s manager, Nuno Espirito who thinks that Benzema is not the right fit for his team. Benzema also requested the captaincy of the team upon his arrival but was declined immediately.
KB9 always happy 😃pic.twitter.com/1AHQeJrmhb
— Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) August 23, 2023
After claims of his unhappiness at the club were made, Al-Ittihad posted a video of him chilling and smiling, on their Twitter handle with the caption “KB9 always happy”. Since his arrival, Karim Benzema has played 6 matches for the club where he managed to get 3 goals to his name. Even if there is tension between the manager and the player it seems unlikely that Al-Ittihad will sack him this early.
How much does Karim Benzema earn at Al-lttihad?
Since Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Saudi club Al-Nassr, many players have started following in his footsteps and making the switch to the Middle East. The Saudi Clubs are providing players with a wage much higher than what they normally earn playing for European clubs.
Benzema is here 🤩✍️
A new tiger will roar 🐅
Welcome to Ittihad!#Benzema2Ittihad#here2inspireKSA pic.twitter.com/I3GEm90fRB— Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) June 6, 2023
Benzema signed a 2-year contract with Al-Ittihad which can be extended up to 3 years if both party agrees. Reports say that he is set to earn 100 million euros per season. Apart from this Benzema will also be paid an extra 20 million euros if he publicly supports Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
In total, Karim Benzema could earn up to 220 million euros for his two-year contract at Al-Ittihad which may rise to 320 million if he chooses to stay for an extra season.
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