As the 19th matchday of the Roshn Saudi League approached, where Al Taee and Al Ittihad were set to face off, there was a commotion surrounding French forward Karim Benzema.

Initial reports from Arab media - and some agencies, including EFE - indicate that Al Ittihad's striker has disappeared from the radar. In addition to deactivating his Instagram account, it is mentioned that 'The Tigers' tried to contact Benzema without success, as the former Real Madrid player would have unexpectedly left Saudi Arabia.

However, neither the Jeddah-based team nor Benzema have issued any statement about the whereabouts of the French footballer. Nonetheless, other Arab media outlets suggest that 'The Cat' may have requested permission from the institution led by Marcelo Gallardo to be absent since the last training session.

The match between Al Taee and Al Ittihad had to be postponed until February 7, 2024, as the plane carrying the visiting team could not land due to severe weather conditions in the Ha'il region.