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7 months ago
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Deemed too short physically, Karim Benzema was not called up by Marcelo Gallardo for the round of 16 of the Asian Champions League.
On Thursday, Al Ittihad will face Navbahor Namangan in the round of 16 of the Asian Confederation Champions League (AFC). A meeting in which Karim Benzema will not participate.
The French international was not selected by his coach, Marcelo Gallardo, to take part in this event. According to information from the Spanish sports newspaper A.S., this decision is explained by the restrictions imposed on foreign players in the competition. In fact, the Argentinian technician can only call five non-Asian players per match.
Benzema short of form
For this round of 16 of the Champions League, the former Monaco and PSG player chose to call on central defender Ahmed Hegazy, midfielders N’Golo Kanté and Fabinho as well as attackers Romarinho and Abderrazak Hamdallah. He probably feels that Benzema is out of form.
After being sidelined for several weeks by Al-Ittihad, Karim Benzema returned to training on February 5. The native of Lyon arrived 17 days late than the date initially planned. “His return depends on him and his physical condition”, Marcelo Gallardo said. On his return from vacation, the former Lyonnais trained alone in the Saudi club’s facilities.
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Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans. Feel free to follow Manu on Twitter and interact with him as he shares his expert opinions, insights, and love for French football.
