Benzema Drops a Bombshell on Al-Ittihad Before Asian Showdown
19 October 2025
Key updates ahead of the Al-Shorta clash
Al-Ittihad captain Karim Benzema has been ruled out of the squad heading to Baghdad to face Al-Shorta in the AFC Champions League Elite. The French forward is not travelling, with medical staff managing his fitness for bigger upcoming fixtures.
Injury news and lineup changes
The delegation left from Jeddah on Sunday morning for Baghdad, carrying a cautious mood after a rough start in Asia that included losses to Al-Wahda and Shabab Al-Ahli. Hassan Awar returns from injury, while Benzema and Steven Bergwijn are not fully ready for match action.
A busy week awaits Conceicao and Benzema
Al-Ittihad must win to rebound from two defeats in their first two matches. Coach Sergio Conceicao knows any negative result could complicate his early tenure. Al-Shorta have one point after a draw with Al-Sadd and a defeat to Al-Gharafa, and will look to exploit home support for their first ACL win of the season.
Additional blows and the contract talk
Moath Faqihi picks up an ankle injury that will sideline him for about four weeks, further thinning options for the coach. Since joining in 2023, Benzema has endured a penalty drought, with only two successful penalties from seven attempts, and several misses in domestic and international play.
What’s next
After Iraq, Conceicao faces a demanding week with a Roshn Saudi League clash against Al-Hilal on Friday and a King’s Cup Round of 16 meeting with Al-Nassr on October 28 at The First Park, a tie with a bit of revenge flair after two defeats this season.
Punchline 1: If the ball could talk, it would ask Benzema to stop ghosting the penalties.
Punchline 2: They say football is a game of inches—Benzema’s inches have been taking pages out of a comedy script lately.
