---

August 24, 2024

Benzema: “Al Ittihad Fans Will Be Proud This Season” – Saudi Pro League

A lot has changed at Al Ittihad since last season, but one constant has been captain Karim Benzema.

The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, a high-profile acquisition during the Kingdom’s landmark 2023 summer transfer window, has returned for the 2024-25 Roshn Saudi League with a fresh sense of purpose.

The arrival of fellow Frenchmen, former teammates, and friends has undoubtedly contributed to this, as Al Ittihad aims to recover from last season’s disappointing title defense and exceed expectations.

The Jeddah giants, unmatched the previous season, ended up fifth in the 2023-24 campaign. They fell five points short of securing a spot in this year’s Asian football competition. They trailed eventual champions Al Hilal by 37 points.

However, a daring recruitment effort during the off-season has introduced new faces such as manager Laurent Blanc, Algerian playmaker Houssem Aouar, French winger Moussa Diaby, Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic, and several top local talents, including Saleh Al Shehri and Muath Faqeehi.

It’s no surprise that as Benzema sat down with the Saudi Pro League for an exclusive discussion about the upcoming season, he did so with a satisfied smile and a strong hope.

“This season we’re all pulling in the same direction,” the ex-Real Madrid captain states.

“We have just one objective: to do well and win trophies. In the end, there won’t be any complicated discussions. We all work together.

“The group is living well, and as I say, the substitutes, the regulars and the youngsters, we all have just one objective: to win. We’ve changed a lot this season, with players leaving, others arriving, and a new coach…”

Hardly pausing for a moment, Benzema underscores the optimism.

“In fact, we’re in the best possible shape,” he adds. “Personally, I feel great. After that, the players who have arrived are ones I know, ones I played with in the national team, like Diaby. I know Houssem from Lyon; the goalkeeper is the same, “Rajko”  – we played against each other in La Liga.

“These are players who have played in Europe, who know the pressure, who know the ambition. It’s good for the Saudi Pro League. It’s good for the club. It shows that we want to win.”

Indeed, for a club of prominence and fan base, Al Ittihad fell short last season. After securing their first RSL title in nine years at the end of the 2022-23 season, they embarked on their title defense by bringing in notable players such as Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho, and Felipe Luiz.

However, Al Ittihad faced difficulties sustaining a severe challenge to defend their title, leading to the dismissal of manager Nuno Espirito-Santo. His successor, Marcelo Gallardo, was dismissed almost immediately after the 2023-24 season concluded.

However, Al Ittihad struggled to mount a prolonged bid to retain the trophy, dispensing with manager Nuno Espirito-Santo. His replacement, Marcelo Gallardo, was let go almost as soon as the 2023-24 season finished.

“I don’t like talking about last season, but it’s true that there were a lot of problems,” Benzema says. “We weren’t focused enough on football. We have to use that – the few failures – to bounce back, and that’s what we did in the pre-season, with a lot of changes.”

“And the most important thing is to look straight ahead, without forgetting the past, and above all to learn from our mistakes.”

“The team needed a change, a strengthening. After that, to be able to compete, you really need ambition, to be ambitious, to work hard, to be a strong, united group. Once you’ve got that, on the pitch it’s 11 against 11.”

“This season is really a new page for the club. I did everything I could to strengthen the team, to make it better and stronger, and I’m confident. Now we have to fight together to try and win trophies.”

Blanc takes over from Gallardo in the dugout and steers the club toward that overarching goal. He has a distinguished football career, including winning the FIFA World Cup as a player in 1998 and securing four Ligue 1 titles as a manager. He brings extensive experience to the role.

Blanc also has regional experience, managing Qatar’s Al Rayyan from 2020 to 2022. Benzema is familiar with his compatriot and believes their relationship will be mutually advantageous, given Blanc’s background with clubs like Napoli, Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Manchester United.

“In Europe, Laurent Blanc is a well-known figure, and in Qatar too,” Benzema says. “Here too, people are getting to know his philosophy of play. It’s a game that starts from the back and builds the action up to the opponent’s goal.”

“It’s a philosophy that I’ve liked for a long time now. He’s someone who knows football, someone who’s very close to his players. He’s someone you can talk to and exchange ideas with.”

“For him, who plays and who doesn’t are equally important. That’s good for us, and good for me, too.”

As the team’s key figure, Benzema’s competitive edge is crucial to Al Ittihad’s goals for the 2024-25 season. In his first year in the Kingdom, Real Madrid’s second-highest all-time goalscorer scored nine goals in 21 RSL appearances.

Benzema, one of the game’s most decorated stars, acknowledges that, like the club, there is significant pressure to perform this season.

Though it’s a challenge he’s faced before.

“I’ve had this pressure since I was eight years old, ever since I started playing for a professional club,” Benzema says. “Then it turned into ambition.”

“For this coming season, I’m not going to call it pressure, but more ambition. I want to turn that pressure into ambition, which is what enables me to be good, to help my team win, with the help of the other players of course, because I need everyone, because this is a real team sport.”

“At the end of the day, pressure is ambition. I’m happy to have this little pressure because it will enable me to be even more focused and perform better.”

Benzema’s resolute conviction will undoubtedly reassure Al Ittihad’s passionate fan base. As some of the most vocal supporters in the RSL, they will naturally expect more from their revitalized team when Al Ittihad begins its campaign on Saturday night against newly promoted Al Kholood.

Refreshed and laser-focused for the new season and its potential, Benzema is determined to deliver.

“The relationship with the fans is very good,” he says. “After that, you have to realize that a fan will always ask you for more. At any club, if you support a team, you want your team to win and play well.”

“So, there’s bound to be frustration from time to time. It’s up to us players to perform well. That’s why I say that the fans are the 12th man. Here, they do it well.”

“And, this season, they’ll be proud of us.”

Cheer on your favorite player! Visit our site to show them your support and make a difference.

Football News Today | La Liga 2 | Saudi Pro League | Major League Soccer | J League | EFL Championship | Brazilian Serie A