Karim Benzema said “reality is different from the internet,” and in just three days, the internet has confirmed his move to Saudi Arabia.
Recently, there have been a lot of reports predicting Benzema’s move to Saudi Arabia. On the 1st of this month, global media outlets ESPN, Italy’s Di Marzio, and Spain’s Relevo all reported that Benzema will leave Real Madrid to join Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad when his contract expires this month.
Benzema’s departure came as a shock. Since joining Real in 2009, Benzema has shown improvement every season. Along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, he formed the legendary “BBC line” that returned Real to the European throne in 2013-14, winning the UEFA Champions League and UCL.
When Ronaldo and Bale left, Benzema stayed. Especially since Ronaldo’s departure in 2018, Benzema has been Real’s de facto attacking ace, and last season, at the age of 34, he reached new “career highs,” winning La Liga’s top scorer and big award, as well as the Ballon d’Or, a player’s highest honor.
This season, he took a step back. Niggling injuries have plagued him, and his consistency in scoring has disappeared in the second half of the season. Still, he proved his class when it mattered, scoring a hat-trick in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal second leg against Barcelona. 토토사이트
Competitiveness in Europe was more than enough. Benzema had also made it clear that he would be staying at Real. “Why are we talking about the future? I’m at Real. The reality is not what they say on the internet. The reality is not what they say on the internet,” he said, weighing in favor of staying.
In response, ‘Marca’ also said, “Benzema will stay. It’s something that both sides have had in mind for a long time. Benzema will fulfill the remainder of the contract he has agreed with Real,” predicting that Benzema and Real will continue to work together.
But Benzema is gone. “Our captain Benzema has agreed to end his great and unforgettable time at Real,” the club announced on its official website on Thursday. We want to show our gratitude and affection to a player who is already one of our greatest legends,” the club announced.
One last self-congratulatory shot. Benzema found the back of the net from the penalty spot in the 27th minute of the final league match against Athletic Bilbao on May 5, ending his Real career with 354 goals.
Now to Saudi Arabia. European soccer transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano tweeted on Friday with the signature phrase “HERE WE GO:” “Benzema has signed the main part of the document to become the new player of Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad. The contract is valid until 2025, with an option to extend.”
The transfer is expected to go through in six days. Real will hold an institutional ceremony on June 6 to honor Benzema and bid him farewell. “Benzema will say goodbye to the Madrid fans and then fly to Saudi Arabia,” Romano explained.
Just three days ago, Benzema indirectly denied that he was heading to Saudi Arabia, saying that “reality is different from the internet”. However, two days later he officially announced his departure from Real, and the next day his move to Saudi Arabia was virtually confirmed.