Benzema did not contact the club for 10 days

Al-Ittihad football club has been unable to contact the striker Karim Benzema for the past 10 days to inquire about the reasons for his delayed arrival at the start of the training camp, as reported by L'Équipe, citing AFP.

Team training resumed on January 2nd, while the 36-year-old striker joined the team 17 days later, causing dissatisfaction among the club's management and head coach Marcelo Gallardo.

As of now, a meeting between the player and the club's management is planned to discuss the situation and consider the future of the forward. Despite rumors of a possible move to European clubs, Benzema remains the captain of Al-Ittihad, and at the moment, his departure is not under consideration.

Earlier reports indicated that due to Benzema's delay at the training camp, Al-Ittihad temporarily excluded him from team activities. According to the player's entourage, the reason for the delay was a cyclone that prevented him from flying to the UAE on time.

In the current season, Benzema has played 20 matches for the club in various tournaments, scoring 12 goals and providing 5 assists.