French star and Al-Ittihad striker Karim Benzema expressed his great happiness with the important victory his team achieved over Al-Taawoun with a clean goal, in the strong match that brought them together on Saturday evening, as part of the competitions of the thirteenth round of the Saudi Professional League .
In a press statement following the match, Benzema emphasized that securing all three points was a very positive outcome, especially against a tough and direct competitor like Al-Taawoun. The former Ballon d'Or winner noted that while the victory was a good step, consistency was key, stressing the need to continue working hard to achieve consistent wins in the upcoming rounds and bring joy to Al-Ittihad fans.
A "step-by-step" philosophy for returning to the top
Benzema further explained the team's current mentality, saying, "We're taking it one game at a time. Our goal is to get three points, then think about the next three, and so on. We'll wait and see what happens in the end, but right now our focus is entirely on the pitch." These statements reflect the team's desire to alleviate pressure and concentrate on improving their performance to get back into serious contention for the top spots.
Al-Ittihad's position in the Roshan League standings
This victory provides a significant morale boost for Al-Ittihad, as the team's points tally rises to 23 , placing them fifth in the Saudi Pro League standings. With this result, Al-Ittihad has narrowed the gap with its direct rivals, now trailing Al-Ahli in fourth place by just two points and Al-Taawoun, whose points total remains at three despite the loss, by five points.
The importance of winning and the context of the competition
This match is particularly important given the fierce competition in the Saudi League this season, which is witnessing a heated battle between the top three clubs (Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli), in addition to the impressive performance of Al-Taawoun. A victory over Al-Taawoun would be a "six-point win" as it would hinder one of their direct rivals for Asian Champions League qualification and a respectable league position.
The Saudi League is experiencing an unprecedented sporting boom by attracting international stars of the caliber of Karim Benzema, which has made every match a global success, and puts the major teams under the microscope of criticism and constant demands for victory, which is what Benzema and his teammates are trying to achieve by restoring the tone of consecutive victories and correcting the course in their campaign to defend their chances in the competition.
