Karim Benzema's injury will keep him out of the Al-Taawoun match following the Al-Hilal crisis
Al-Hilal officially announced via their verified social media account that their French star Karim Benzema will miss the team's trip to the Qassim region for their upcoming match against Al-Taawoun. The club's medical statement explained that the player is suffering from adductor muscle pain, requiring him to undergo thorough radiological examinations on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury and the recovery period. As a result, he will miss the postponed match from the tenth round of the Saudi Professional League.
Critical timing and loss of the lead
This absence comes at a very sensitive time for the team nicknamed "The Leader," as they are under immense pressure from fans and the media following their loss of the league lead to their traditional rivals, Al-Nassr. The recent 1-1 draw against Al-Ittihad in the "Foundation Day Round" (Round 23) directly contributed to the team's drop to second place, just one point behind, making the Al-Taawoun match a crucial turning point for the team to regain its psychological and technical balance.
Behind the scenes of the crisis with coach Inzaghi
The absence due to injury wasn't the only issue surrounding the French star; it was preceded by noticeable tension in his relationship with the coaching staff and the fans. Informed sources revealed to the Okaz newspaper exciting behind-the-scenes details of what transpired during halftime of the Al-Ittihad match, where Benzema engaged in a heated discussion and tactical debate with the team's coach, Inzaghi. The disagreement centered on the playing style and how to capitalize on the numerical advantage after defender Hassan Kadash was sent off in the ninth minute. This caused turmoil in the locker room and negatively impacted the team's performance in the second half.
Reactions and escalating tensions
Tensions escalated after the final whistle, as Benzema refused to acknowledge the angry fans and headed straight to the dressing room with teammates Malcom and Theo, a move that further angered the Al-Hilal supporters and the rest of the team. In response to the wave of harsh criticism, Benzema simply posted a cryptic message on his X account, saying, "We'll talk at the end," leaving the door open to widespread speculation about the future of the relationship between the French star and Al-Hilal in light of recent results.
The dramatic match scenario
It is worth noting that the match that triggered this crisis saw a strong start for Al-Hilal with an early goal by Brazilian Malcom in the fifth minute. However, Al-Ittihad, despite playing with ten men for more than 80 minutes, managed to hold on and equalize through Algerian Houssem Aouar in the 53rd minute, thus securing a valuable point that disrupted the competition for the Saudi Professional League title.
