It’s off to a much better start for Karim Benzema after his nightmare first season in Saudi Arabia. Now coached by Laurent Blanc at Al-Ittihad and joined by Houssem Aouar and Moussa Diaby (and no more N’Golo Kanté and Fabinho), the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner is in great form for the start of the season. Author of his first goal of the season before the international window, the 36-year-old offered himself a triple winner in a huge 7-1 victory against Al-Wehda, Sunday, on behalf of the 3rd day of the Saudi Pro League.

« KB9 » struck right from the start with an exceptional curling shot from outside the area (2nd). A magnificent goal that recalls his golazo registration with theFrench team in the Nations League final against Spain in 2021 (facing the surface of the face of the Roja). Coming to Benzema’s first goal, the Dutchman Steven Bergwijn found the former Real Madrid captain for a cross shot from the right and a double at the start of the second half (47th). At the end of the match, Benzema also served as an attacking player for three but also seventh of his team (89th).

Triple for Benzema, quadruple for Diaby

It was Houssem Aouar who doubled the lead for Al-Ittihad (71st), while the player trained at OL (also) had already scored in the first two games of the season! Moussa Diaby is a quadruple decisive passer, for Aouar then Fabinho (45th + 3) in the first half and the Saudis Fawaz Al Saqour (55th) and Saleh Al Shehri (87th) in the second.

The formation of captain Benzema and « President » Laurent Blanc continued to be both pro-chain with a vote against Al-Hilal, the overpowering defending champion, who also won three in a row. Joao Cancelo and Marcos Leonardo joined the composition team composed of Yassine Bounou, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Malcom and Aleksandar Mitrovic. Neymar is indisposed on the coast of Al-Hilal.