Karim Benzema and Nuno’s furious dressing room row leaked as ex-Tottenham boss sacked
Nuno Espirito Santo, the former manager of Wolves and Tottenham, was fired by big-spending Al-Ittihad after just six months of winning the Saudi Pro League.
It has been reported that Nuno Espirito Santo’s dismissal from Al-Ittihad was the result of an altercation with Karim Benzema following a humiliating AFC Champions League loss.
Nuno, the former manager of Tottenham and the Wolves, guided his team to the Saudi Pro League championship the previous season, and the arrival of talents like Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante was meant to elevate them even further. However, the Jeddah squad is faring worse than the league leaders Al-Hilal.
Nuno was fired following five league games without a victory. But it was a continental outcome that seemed to be his downfall, when Iraq’s Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya handed them a 2-0 loss under tense conditions.
Nuno reportedly warned Benzema he was “too lazy to put pressure on your rival,” according to Saudi publication Al Riyadiah (via The Mail). It is reported that Benzema retaliated by telling the manager, “Talk to the whole group, don’t just talk to me.”
But as the same story said, it didn’t end there. As the current Ballon d’Or winner, Benzema joined Al-Ittihad, and Nuno is rumored to have made reference to the veteran’s seniority in his criticism.
Nuno allegedly remarked, “You are the most important athlete, the leader of the team, and an example for the players.” “You must take the initiative and be an example for all the players.”
Zinedine Zidane and Laurent Blanc, two of Benzema’s fellow countrymen, have been suggested as possible Nuno replacements. Blanc has previously overseen Benzema, leading the French national side to the quarterfinals of the 2012 European Championship.
“This decision is the result of a thorough technical assessment of the previous phase, during which he oversaw the first team’s coaching.” Nuno’s departure was confirmed in a statement written by Al-Ittihad. One further candidate that has been linked to a Saudi move is Jose Mourinho, who oversaw Nuno while the former goalkeeper was a player at Porto.
“In October, Mourinho told MBC Egypt, ‘I am convinced that I will work there. I will go to Saudi Arabia in some free time.” “I’m not sure when, but I’m rather certain about it. Although the future is unpredictable, I will undoubtedly work in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, doors are always open for me. I want to sense that progress there.”
However, he had previously stated that he had declined a sizable offer from the nation. “During the holidays, I received the biggest and craziest offer a coach has ever received in the history of football,” Mourinho stated in September.
“And I declined it. I acted in this manner because I had promised my players, the supporters, and the club owner.”
