Al Ittihad Ends Contract with Gallardo: Benzema Controversy and Future Plans

Gallardo and Benzema at a press conference

“Termination of the contractual relationship with the coach of the first football team.” With that brief message, Al Ittihad ended its relationship with Marcelo Gallardo. In the starting gates, he already has his replacement: the Italian Stefano Pioli, who was in charge of Milan in Italy last season. However, to announce it, the Saudi club had to break with the Muñeco and his technical team, with a contract until December 2025. And it unilaterally drew the formal end point of a relationship that became stormy.

The fact is that there was no financial settlement for the breakup: the parties never reached an agreement regarding the termination. Asian media had been reporting that the club had to pay between 20 and 30 million dollars (corresponding to the remainder of the contract) to unblock the exit. But the negotiations in this regard did not advance. That did not prevent Louay Nazer, president of the Tigres, from announcing on June 20 that the dismissal was imminent.

“Last season, Gallardo made important mistakes by asking for Karim Benzema to be sacked. This is completely unacceptable for the Al-Ittihad project. I have asked the legal department to look into this matter and the necessary measures will be taken,” he said at the time. Well, now the club has taken another step towards a definitive break-up, but with many details to be resolved.

The campaign, of course, was far from what everyone had hoped for. In the Saudi Pro League, he played 33 games, with 15 wins, 4 draws and 14 losses. His team finished fifth with 54 points, 42 behind the champions, Al Hilal, who also eliminated them in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League.

In addition, Al Ittihad, led by Muñeco, said goodbye in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup, lost the final of the Saudi Arabian Super Cup and succumbed in the quarter-finals of the Arab Champions League, with the peculiarity that in all competitions it was eliminated by the team managed by Jorge Jesus.

In terms of potential, the squad was ranked third or fourth in the country, behind Al Hilal – who had the advantage of not having Neymar due to injury – and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. But injuries and internal short-circuits diminished the possibilities of the Tigres, who in the last part of the season showed their worst version.

However, Gallardo’s farewell goes beyond the sporting aspect. And it did not happen earlier for economic reasons. Three dates before the end, the leaders verbally warned him that they were planning the 2024/2025 cycle without him. Without an agreement regarding the termination, the Muñeco’s technical team continued in office on sandy ground. In a limbo that pushed the press to ask him about his future at the end of each game. “I am waiting for the owners to decide whether I continue or not, the decision is theirs, not mine,” he was able to explain to the media in that final stretch.

“Coach Gallardo went against many of our instructions and made unacceptable demands, such as the departure of player Karim Benzema, who is an essential part of our sporting project. Benzema, as I have already said, will remain with us,” was another of the statements made by President Nazer two weeks ago. And it revealed the heart of the conflict.

The 48-year-old former linkman landed in Jeddah in November 2023. Without any European offers that completely suited him, beyond the fact that he opened negotiations with Sevilla and Olympique de Marseille, and after a year without working after his eight highly successful seasons at the helm of River Plate, he accepted the challenge of Al Ittihad, defending champion of the Saudi Pro League, who was carrying an irregular performance and had just lost his coach, the Portuguese Nuno Espiritu Santo, who had clashed with Benzema, whom he accused of lacking commitment and intensity. Perhaps there was a sign there for the Argentine.

But he also had several reasons for accepting. “He has the Club World Cup ahead of him, which is an important showcase. Very important footballers and coaches are arriving in Saudi Arabia. And the teams are linked to the Premier League, because the owners are also owners of clubs like Chelsea, Newcastle… It is like being shoulder to shoulder with them,” Diego Borinsky, journalist and biographer of El Muñeco, author of his story in three fascinating volumes: Gallardo Monumental, Gallardo Cargado and Gallardo Eterno, had explained to Infobae.

In addition, in Saudi Arabia they had been tempting him continuously. In January 2023, when he was in charge of Riyadh Season, a cast of stars from the city (including CR7) in the friendly against Paris Saint Germain (with Messi and Mbappé) had treated him “like a king”. And then they had already offered him an impressive contract to stay in charge of one of the elite teams. He said no. The months passed and, with the abstinence of the substitutes’ bench on his back and a coaching staff under his responsibility, he said yes.

The experience had the bonus track of guiding Benzema, Fabinho, N’Golo Kanté; all footballers coming from the top European level. But after the first impact of his wrist, the sparks surfaced. Due to the cascade of injuries without replacement of the same status. And due to the Karim affair, with which he had several short circuits.

One of them occurred when the striker returned late after the end-of-year break and blamed a storm at his vacation spot. First he was left out of the squad and then he was brought back to practice. Was there a truce between them? Rather, it seemed like an imposition in the face of those “disobediences” of the Muñeco that the president spoke of. It is known, from the behavior he showed in Núñez, that the coach always prioritized “the health” of the group. In this case, he did not achieve it.

And those differences continued to surface. “I am not the same as I was at Real Madrid. It is not the same club, the players are not the same. I need help on the pitch, I cannot win alone,” the 36-year-old French striker declared, in the midst of the drought that plagued him in front of goal.

Not to mention when, in a match against Al Hilal, the talented striker had to play a different role. “Now you play with Karim on the left? This is a crime! It makes no sense. Football needs to be respected,” wrote Gressy, Benzema’s brother, on his Instagram account.

The bidding ended in terms of “him or me”. The former Real Madrid striker began to play in the media with rumors of a departure. Conclusion? With a contract until 2026, he has two coaches in his lineup. In the midst of this effervescence, the former River player received the news of the death of Juan Berros, his historic representative and friend. He returned to Buenos Aires as soon as the competition was over and leaned on his family.

When will he return to coaching? It is unknown. In recent days he was linked with Corinthians in Brazil, although everything indicates that he will choose Ramón Díaz. The desire to prove his worth in Europe seems pending, although it will depend on the attractiveness of the offer, especially after the setback in Saudi Arabia. Unless an impactful offer mobilises him, he may take a few months close to his family before pressing the reset button.

2024-07-04 03:32:00
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