Karim Benzema 'proud of this team and our fans' as Al Ittihad clinch Saudi Pro League title
Al Ittihad clinched the Saudi Pro League title with two matches to spare after coming back from a goal down to beat Al Raed 3-1 on Thursday. Victory moved Al Ittihad, captained by Karim Benzema, to 77 points from 32 matches, nine points ahead of second-placed Al Hilal. Victory was all that Laurent Blanc's Al Ittihad needed to lift their 10th league title, and the first since 2023. However, on Thursday the already-relegated Al Raed drew first blood as Omar Gonzalez gave the bottom team the lead from close range after nine minutes as an injured Benzema watched from the sidelines. Al Ittihad, however, fought back with Steven Bergwijn equalising 12 minutes later. Abdulrahman Al Oboud broke in through the right and set up the Dutchman who made no mistake. A Danilo Pereira header gave them the lead shortly before halftime. Two minutes into the second half, Abdulrahman Al-Oboud put the result beyond doubt. The Jeddah-based club have another chance to win a trophy this season as they take on Al Qadsiah in the King's Cup final on May 30. After the win, Benzema took to social media to celebrate the victory, having last won the league in 2023. 'Alhamdulillah, Champions! Proud of this team and our fans,' Benzema wrote in a post on X platform. At the beginning of the season, Benzema had promised fans that the club will be aiming for trophies this term, and they kept their word. 'This season we're all pulling in the same direction,' Benzema had said. 'We have just one objective: to do well and win trophies. In the end, there won't be any complicated discussions. We all work together. 'The group is living well, and as I say, the substitutes, the regulars and the youngsters, we all have just one objective: to win. We've changed a lot this season, with players leaving, others arriving, and a new coach.'
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