Tensions rise as Karim Benzema, expected to report for Al-Ittihad's preseason, remains conspicuously absent. The Argentine coach, Marcelo Gallardo, takes a firm stance, leaving no room for concessions. Shockingly, Benzema finds himself excluded from the team's crucial Dubai trip.

Scheduled to join his teammates at the club's facilities in Jeddah, Benzema's failure to report on Friday, the 12th, raises concerns. Sources from Saudi Arabia reveal that this isn't the first instance, with the striker having missed training three times before the end of the year in Jeddah, even preceding the official holiday.

As the football community eagerly awaits an official statement, Saudi sources confirm that Benzema is not part of the official list for the pre-season in Dubai. With Gallardo's disapproval and no permission for his absence, Benzema faces exclusion from the entire Dubai tour.