The French striker Karim Benzema, who plays for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad Club, is set to make a comeback to the Asian Champions League. This return, however, marks a new chapter for him after a six-month hiatus, as his team is scheduled to play as a formidable guest against the Iraqi side Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the fourth round of Group Three of the 2023-2024 Asian Champions League.
Benzema‘s last continental match took place on May 17th, when his former Spanish team, Real Madrid, faced a defeat against Manchester City with a score of 0-4 in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the 2022-2023 season.
The match, which will be hosted at the “Franso Hariri” stadium in Erbil, Iraq, at 2:00 PM, will witness Benzema’s first continental appearance since the Manchester City encounter and his inaugural match wearing the Al-Ittihad Saudi jersey on the Asian stage.
الأسطورة جاهز لمواجهة الغد 🤩🔝 pic.twitter.com/0zGlZ59xeR
— نادي الاتحاد السعودي (@ittihad) November 5, 2023
The Frenchman missed the first two matches due to injury and lack of fitness, and a third match against Sepahan Isfahan of Iran was canceled at the last minute for non-sporting reasons.
Al-Ittihad currently leads its group in the Asian Champions League with 9 points, followed by Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya with 4 points, ahead of Sepahan Isfahan on goal difference, while AGMK of Uzbekistan sits at the bottom without points.
Al-Ittihad secured the top spot in Group Three with a 1-0 victory in the home leg at the sparkling Jewel Stadium, leading by 5 points over their runner-up Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.
This visit marks Al-Ittihad’s first trip to Iraq, following in the footsteps of clubs like Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr in previous years.
The draw placed Al-Ittihad in Group Three of the tournament, alongside Sepahan Isfahan, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, and AGMK of Uzbekistan.
Coach Santo stated in the pre-match press conference that Benzema is fully ready to start the game after missing the previous three Asian tournament matches due to injury.
The Portuguese coach spoke about Al-Ittihad’s chances in the upcoming match, saying: “We are at the top of our Asian group with full points. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya is a tough team; however, we are determined to play for the win.
