Khaberni - The French striker Karim Benzema, star of the Saudi Al-Ittihad Club, caused a huge surprise regarding his future, confirming in an exclusive interview with the Spanish newspaper "AS" on Monday, that he cannot refuse to return to Real Madrid if President Florentino Perez requests it.
The Ballon d'Or winner said: "Florentino is a special person, I can never say no to him."
He referred to the special relationship he has with Perez since the day the president came to his home in Lyon in 2009 to persuade him to transfer.
His future with Al-Ittihad and the transfer market:
Despite hinting at a return to Real Madrid, Benzema affirmed his current commitment to Al-Ittihad, saying, "I feel appreciated and loved here, but I will not continue just for the sake of continuing... I arrived as a Ballon d'Or winner and I have fulfilled my commitments."
The French striker (38 years old) emphasized that he sees himself capable of playing and enjoying football for an additional two years, but he has not yet decided whether to stay or leave the Saudi league, confirming that he will make the appropriate decision after a "face-to-face" conversation with Al-Ittihad management.
Comments about Zidane, Mbappe, and Vinicius:
During the interview, Benzema touched on several hot topics in European and French football:
Zinedine Zidane: Benzema confirmed that Zidane has all the qualities to become the coach of the French national team, and he considers him "number one" for this position.
French national team: Benzema did not rule out the idea of returning to the national team, but he emphasized that he is currently focusing on what he has with his club.
Vinicius Junior: He described him as a "phenomenon" and believes that he could win the Ballon d'Or someday, but he warned against excessive pressure on him. He said that Vinicius only needs to focus on playing and leave everything else off the field.
Current Real Madrid: Benzema acknowledged that the current team lacks a "leader player," but he praised President Perez's ability to bring in top players.
Kylian Mbappe: Benzema expects Mbappe to "score a lot of goals" with Real Madrid, emphasizing that offensive players (like Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Bellingham) need to understand and communicate with each other to succeed in the team system.
