French star Karim Benzema, a player for Al-Hilal's first football team, sent an urgent and enthusiastic message to his team's fans and followers of Saudi football, just hours before the highly anticipated derby match against Al-Ittihad. This crucial encounter is part of the 23rd round of the Saudi Professional League and will be held at the Kingdom Arena, Al-Hilal's new home ground, amidst significant media and fan anticipation.

In a move to heighten the excitement and challenge, Karim Benzema posted a brief but significant message on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, saying: "It's never over... It's almost here." This message is interpreted as a declaration of the veteran striker's complete readiness for this major clash and a confirmation of his desire to make a strong impression in one of the most important matches of the Saudi Arabian football season.

An emotional confrontation and a special challenge for the Dean

This match holds special significance for Karim Benzema, as he will face Al-Ittihad for the first time in Al-Hilal's jersey, following his departure from the "Dean" and his official transfer to "The Leader" in a free transfer that sparked considerable controversy and debate in the sports world. Matches against former clubs are always pivotal moments, imbued with a mix of personal emotions and the professional desire to prove oneself, something Benzema aims to achieve in this classic encounter.

Benzema's stats with Al-Hilal before the Clasico

From a technical and statistical standpoint, Benzema enters the match with a promising scoring record with his new team. Despite playing only two matches for Al-Hilal so far, Karim Benzema has already made his mark. He scored a hat-trick against Al-Akhdoud and provided an assist in those two appearances in the Roshan Professional League, making him a valuable asset that the coaching staff is counting on to secure the points in this match.

The importance of El Clásico and its impact on the league

The Al-Hilal vs. Al-Ittihad match, known as the "Saudi Clasico," is considered one of the most prominent sporting events not only locally, but also regionally and internationally, given the immense popularity of both clubs and their rich history filled with championships and achievements. This match comes at a time when Saudi football is experiencing a tremendous boom and attracting some of the world's brightest stars, drawing the attention of football fans worldwide to the Kingdom Arena to witness this clash of titans.

The result of this match will not only affect the two teams’ standings in the league table, but its effects will extend to the general morale of the players and fans for the remainder of the season, as each side seeks to impose its dominance and confirm its superiority in the race to compete for the Roshan League title, which has become one of the most competitive leagues in the region.

French star Karim Benzema, striker for Al-Hilal's first football team, sent an urgent and intriguing message just hours before the highly anticipated match against his former club, Al-Ittihad. The two teams are preparing to face off in the fiery Saudi Arabian football classic, a match that will take place as part of the 23rd round of the Saudi Professional League at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

In a move that heightened the challenge and excitement among fans, Karim Benzema posted a concise and determined tweet on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, saying: "It's never over... It's almost here." Followers interpreted this message as a declaration of complete readiness and an unbridled desire to prove himself in one of the most important matches of the season.

This match carries a special dramatic weight, as Karim Benzema will face Al-Ittihad for the first time since his departure from the club and his official free transfer to Al-Hilal, a move that sparked considerable controversy in sporting circles. Fans are eagerly awaiting to see how the French star will handle the pressure of facing his former teammates and the fans who once chanted his name while he wore the jersey of their arch-rivals.

In terms of statistics and technical performance, Benzema enters the match in peak form. He has played only two matches for Al-Hilal so far, but has already made a strong and immediate impact. He scored a hat-trick against Al-Akhdoud and provided an assist, contributing significantly to the attack in just two appearances in the Saudi Professional League. This makes him Al-Hilal's coach's most dangerous weapon in the derby.

The importance of El Clásico and its impact on the league

The Al-Hilal vs. Al-Ittihad match holds strategic importance that transcends the mere three points at stake; it is a clash between the two giants of Saudi football, clubs with a long history of fierce competition for domestic and continental titles. The "Saudi Clasico" has garnered unprecedented global attention in recent years, thanks to the Saudi Professional League's attraction of some of the world's brightest football stars, making each match a top-tier fixture that rivals major European leagues in terms of technical quality and fan attendance.

The Kingdom Arena, which is hosting this event, is one of the newest sporting landmarks reflecting the tremendous development in the Kingdom's sports infrastructure, adding an aesthetic and cultural dimension to the match. The result of this match is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the league title race this season, as Al-Hilal seeks to consolidate its lead and reaffirm its dominance, while Al-Ittihad aims for a positive result to improve its position in the standings.

The first football team of Al-Ittihad Saudi Club concluded its journey in the group stage of the AFC Champions League in the best possible way, achieving a wide and well-deserved victory over its host, Al-Sadd of Qatar, with a score of 4-1, in the strong match that took place at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Tuesday evening.

Details of federal control and objectives

Al-Ittihad imposed their attacking style from the opening minutes, translating their dominance into early goals that unsettled the home side. Algerian star Houssem Aouar the scoring in the 10th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error to unleash a powerful shot into the net. Just eight minutes later, Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri the lead in the 18th minute, expertly breaking the offside trap.

Al-Ittihad's pressure continued, resulting in a third goal by own goal, as Al-Sadd defender Pedro Miguel inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 33rd minute. Despite Al-Sadd reducing the deficit through Spaniard Rafa Mojica in the 38th minute, Al-Ittihad returned in the second half to extinguish any hopes of a comeback by scoring the fourth goal through Cameroonian Stefan Keller in the 63rd minute.

Goalkeepers shine, but chances go begging

The match was fiercely contested despite the lopsided scoreline, with Al-Ittihad's Serbian goalkeeper, Rajkovic , shining in defense of his goal, making several crucial saves, most notably a shot from Mojica in the 40th minute that nearly changed the course of the game before halftime. Meanwhile, Al-Sadd's goalkeeper, Meshaal Barsham, tried to stem the tide of Al-Ittihad's attacks, but he was unable to contain the Tigers' offensive prowess, especially with the chances squandered by Mohamedou Doumbia and Roger Fernandez.

Group standings and the fiery Round of 16 matchups

With this resounding victory, Al-Ittihad raised their points tally to 15, cementing their place in fourth position in the West Zone group standings. This result has set up an all-Arab clash in the Round of 16, where they will face their Emirati counterparts, Al-Wahda, in a new challenge as they seek the continental title.

On the other hand, Al Sadd's points tally remained at 8, leaving them in eighth place, the last qualifying spot for the next round. This result sets up a very difficult and challenging match for Al Sadd, as they will face group leaders Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in a highly anticipated Gulf-Asian derby.

The importance of winning in the new elite system

This victory is of particular importance as it comes in the first edition of the new system of the tournament (AFC Champions League Elite), where Al-Ittihad seeks to restore its continental glory and send a strong message to its rivals that it is ready to compete for the title, especially since the team showed a strong character away from home and high offensive effectiveness with the diversity of its scorers from different nationalities (Algeria, Morocco, Cameroon), which reflects the great harmony between the team’s elements.