Karim Benzema has allegedly been left out of Al Ittihad’s mid-season training camp after repeatedly failing to report for duty, but his corner claims he was trapped by a cyclone.
The Mail Online report, via publications in Spain, that the Frenchman missed three training sessions ahead of the winter break while he was not present at Al Ittihad’s reunion on Friday.
He has subsequently been excluded from their list of players going to Dubai, but his camp is claiming he has been stuck in Mauritius due to a tropical storm.
Mauritius is currently under a cyclone class one (out of four) warning due to tropical storm Belal. Conditions are expected to intensify.
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However, Spanish publication Marca claim that Benzema is nevertheless in his manager Marcelo Gallardo’s ‘bad books’
The Saudi Pro League side feels that the 26-year-old should have been back in Saudi Arabia by Friday instead of leaving his departure this late.
Benzema has struggled since moving to Saudi Arabia from Real Madrid this summer. While the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner has scored a respectable 15 goals in 24 games, the club sit seventh in the Saudi Pro League, having won the title only a year ago.
Al Ittihad are 25 points off league leaders Al-Hilal, and closer to the relegation zone than the league summit.
Benzema was booed by Al Ittihad supporters after a 5-2 defeat at home to Al Nassr in December when he was outshone by Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo, who each scored a brace.
The Frenchman then appeared to delete his Instagram account after widespread criticism.
Recent events could cause uncertainty over the future of the 36-year-old.
Chris Byfield