Stars on Standby: Benzema and Aouar Sit Out as Al-Ittihad Prepares for Al-Fateh
28 January 2026
Absences Shake Al-Ittihad Ahead of Al-Fateh Clash
Karim Benzema and Houssam Aouar will not be part of Al-Ittihad's squad for the Saudi Pro League showdown with Al-Fateh.
The team travels to Al-Ahsa to face Al-Fateh on Thursday in the 19th round.
Sérgio Conceição, the Portuguese coach, announced the lineup without Benzema and Aouar.
The club has offered no official reason for the two players absence; resting them amid a congested schedule is the working theory, especially for Benzema.
Aouar had recently returned from a long layoff and even scored in the 2-1 win over Al-Akhud on Monday in round 18, but was left out again for this match.
Eight foreign players are named in the squad: Predrag Rajković, Danilo Pereira, Mario Mitai, Fabinho, Mamadou Doumbia, Roger Fernandes, N'Golo Kanté and Moussa Diaby.
Al-Ittihad sit sixth in the table with 30 points, while Al-Fateh lie tenth with 21 points.
Punchline 1: If rest were a tactic, Benzema and Aouar just invented it—the rest of the league might need a nap too.
Punchline 2: The bench is busier than a coffee shop on matchday; someone’s always juggling formations to please the boss.
