Al Ittihad manager Laurent Blanc says star striker Karim Benzema is happy and settled at the club after a summer in which he was linked with a move away from the Jeddah side.
Blanc's arrival and the form of Benzema have helped Ittihad enjoy a sustained spell of good form that has taken them up to second spot in the Saudi Pro League table, three points behind leaders Al Hilal, ahead of Thursday night's clash against local rivals Al Ahli.
Benzema was a headline-grabbing capture last summer for Ittihad who, at the time, were still basking in the glory of their 2022/23 SPL title success.
The defence of that crown never really got going with boss Nuno Espirito Santo dismissed in November and his replacement, Marcelo Gallardo, given his marching orders in July. Eventually they came home in fifth place amid speculation that Benzema was unsettled. Lyon were reported to have been exploring a move for their former player in January, while the 36-year-old Frenchman was linked with Chelsea and Arsenal over the summer.
But Blanc said: “I think he is happy, on the pitch and certainly off the pitch – this is very important for the player, and he’s scored a lot.
"This isn’t a surprise. Karim Benzema has played football for 20 years more or less, and he scored a lot every year; 25, 27, 24 goals in a year. In Madrid, in Lyon, and in Al Ittihad it is the same.”
So far Benzema's tally is eight goals in seven league games, and he will face Ahli having been rested for Ittihad's midweek King's Cup victory over Al Jandal.
“It will be a hard game because it is a derby," added Blanc when asked about facing Ahli. "But the game? I don’t know, I am not a magician. We hope we have the ball, because we want the ball in every game. Certainly, Al Ahli will not agree with that. They are a good team with good players, so we need to be ready for a big game.
“It will be a very interesting game because on the pitch will be many good players. It will be a tough game, physically and technically. And there will be many people in the stadium to see it. I am impatient because this game is very interesting to play."
If Ittihad are to continue their good run, Blanc accepts they will need to shackle Ahli's forwards, including Ivan Toney, their big-money capture from Premier League side Brentford.
“Everybody knows this player [Toney] is a very good player. He is a scorer, too. He scored a lot of goals in England. But it’s not only Toney, they have [Riyad] Mahrez who we know a lot because he played in France and in England, he scored a lot. Technically he is a very, very good player. Al Ahli is a good team. Everybody knows that.”
Ittihad have plenty of threats themselves, with new signings Moussa Diaby and Houssem Aouar adding to an impressive squad that also boasts top midfielders N'Golo Kante and Fabinho alongside former Ballon d'Or winner Benzema.
Brazil international Fabinho, who won the Premier League and Uefa Champions League with Liverpool, believes that the form of their key players makes them a major factor in the SPL title race.
“For us it is a really important game, the team is in a really good moment," said Fabinho. "We are second in the league just behind Al Hilal and we want to be at the top, so we have to win this game. This will be my third derby, the first two were not very good for us. We lost both of them, so it is an opportunity to give a nice result to our fans. The fans they are asking for us to give everything to win this game.
“I think the players that arrived [in the transfer window] are playing really well. Moussa Diaby, Houssem Aouar, all the players who arrived have really integrated into the team and adapted to the team and the way we play.
“I think some key players are finding their best football again, so this is very important for us. The new coach and his staff arrived as well, and we know the ideas they have and how they want to play football. What everybody expects from us is to fight for the league, it’s not a big surprise. We have to do everything to reach the top.”
One player he is not looking forward to facing is his close friend and former Liverpool and Brazil teammate Roberto Firmino. Fabinho says the two men will have to put their relationship to one side for 90 minutes at King Abdullah Sports City.
“It is not nice! Bobby is one of my good friends that I have made in football. He is a very good player, so I never like to play against him," added Fabinho.
"Last season when we played against them, I made a hard tackle on him and after the game he sent me a photo of his ankle. I said: ‘Sorry, Bobby!’ After the game we can talk but, in the game, I will fight for my side and my team. It’s nice to be in the same city as him, to see him off the pitch often. Our families also are in contact, and he is a very good friend, but on the pitch and in the derby, I am with Al Ittihad and he is with Al Ahli.”
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
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Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
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Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
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Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
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