It is known why Al-Ittihad decided not to invite Stefano Pioli

Stefano Pioli distanced himself from discussions about becoming the head coach of the Saudi Professional League club Al-Ittihad. However, the breakdown of negotiations was not due to a veto from star forward Karim Benzema, as some sources suggested.

In reality, there were internal disagreements within the club. Former club president Loay Nazer resigned from his position on Saturday, citing interference from the Ministry of Sports in the club's decision-making process, according to reports from the Middle East.

Since Nazer played a key role in selecting Pioli as a potential new head coach, and with him no longer at the club, Al-Ittihad decided to change its direction.

According to some reports, Karim Benzema did not support Pioli's candidacy for the head coach position. However, Italian media, including Gianluca Di Marzio, insist that this is not true.

Pioli remains open to negotiations with any club, as his contract with Milan ended at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. He spent about five years in charge of the team, winning the Serie A title in the 2021-22 season.

Meanwhile, Al-Ittihad is reportedly in talks with Christophe Galtier and is considering Laurent Blanc as a potential alternative.