Diaby Dismisses Benzema Talk as Ittihad Roars to a 7-0 Victory

Diaby Keeps Eyes on the Present as Ittihad Triumphs 7-0

French forward Moussa Diaby, star of Al-Ittihad, steered clear of dwelling on his compatriot and former teammate Karim Benzema, who recently joined rivals Al Hilal, praising the team’s happiness after a crushing win over Al-Gharafa.

The heavyweights hammered Al-Gharafa 7-0 on Tuesday night, sealing their progression to the knockout rounds of the AFC Elite competition regardless of the final round results.

Diaby played the full match, did not score, but did provide a single assist.

Asked about Benzema’s departure to Al Hilal, he said, "I don’t want to talk about the past; I prefer to talk about the present and the future. Today we had a big win, collected three points, and everyone is happy."

He added on the show "Dourina Gheer," "The secret to beating Al-Gharafa is daily hard work to be better, and this win is a gift to every player in the squad."

Diaby and Benzema had been a dangerous forward duo for Al-Ittihad, helping the club win the domestic league and cup double last season.

But Benzema left on the final day of the winter mercato for Al Hilal, refusing to stay until the end of the season due to a weak renewal offer from the club.

Punchline: If memory serves as a weapon, Benzema would be out of ammo; Diaby’s focus on the present is an artillery barrage against distractions.

Punchline: In football as in life, the past is a rerun—Diaby’s script is clearly written in present tense, with a big exclamation mark at the end.