Before his dismissal was confirmed last Tuesday, the 7th, the Al Ittihad coach had an argument with Benzema in the dressing room, where he called him lazy
Nuno Espírito Santo’s dismissal by Al Ittihad took the football world by surprise, but the behind-the-scenes of his departure could be even more chaotic. This is because, according to the local newspaper “Al Riyadiah”, the Portuguese had a problem with the team’s star, Karim Benzemaeven calling him “lazy”.
The discussion reportedly took place during halftime of the Arab team’s defeat to the Air Force, against Iraq, 2-0. The newspaper even published excerpts of the dialogue, where Nuno states that the number 9 is a great player, but that he is also lazy. After that, the Frenchman asks him not to speak just to him, but to the entire group.
It is worth remembering that Al Ittihad could be in the way of Fluminense in December, at the Club World Cup. This is because the Saudi Arabian team is in the same bracket as the Libertadores champion, having to first go through Al Ahly It is Auckland City in two other phases, to reach the semi-finals of the competition.
See the dialogue released:
Nuno: “You’re a great player, but it seems like you’re being lazy when it comes to putting pressure on your opponent.”
Benzema: “Don’t just talk to me, talk to the whole group.”
Nuno: ” You are the leader of the team, the example for the players and the most important athlete. You must take the initiative and be an example for all the players.”
Une seule direction. #vamonos 🐅#alhamdulillah ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZFgLP17siy
— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) October 31, 2023
Source: sportbuzz
I am William Jackson and I have a passion for sports journalism. With over 3 years of experience in the industry, I have worked in a variety of roles to improve the quality and accuracy of sports news coverage. As an author at Athletistic, I specialize in covering football news and providing comprehensive analysis for fans around the world.
