Heavy Defeat for Al-Ittihad Against Fenerbahçe in Preseason Friendly

Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad suffered a heavy 4-0 loss in their first preseason friendly during their training camp in Portugal, falling to Turkish giants Fenerbahçe at the Albufeira Stadium.

French head coach Laurent Blanc started the match with a lineup that included seven foreign players: Hamad Al-Shanqeeti, Danilo Pereira, Saad Al-Mousa, Muath Faqihi, Ahmed Sharahili, Fabinho, N’Golo Kanté, Unai Hernández, Steven Bergwijn, Moussa Diaby, and French star Karim Benzema, who faced off against his former Real Madrid manager, José Mourinho, now coaching Fenerbahçe.

Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri opened the scoring early for the Turkish side in the 9th minute, slotting in a cross from close range. Just seven minutes later, his teammate Szymanski added the second, capitalizing on a defensive error to send a low shot past goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Shanqeeti.

Fenerbahçe maintained their dominance in the second half, as Colombian forward Jhon Durán — recently acquired from Al-Nassr — struck a powerful shot in the 77th minute for the third goal, then sealed the win with a precise header in the 88th minute.

Al-Ittihad is preparing for the new season, which kicks off with a clash against Al-Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final on August 20 in Hong Kong. The team will play their second friendly of the Portugal camp this coming Saturday against Vitória Guimarães, followed four days later by a match against English side Fulham, as part of a rigorous preseason schedule.

Meanwhile, Italian media sources reported that Al-Ittihad is in advanced negotiations with AC Milan to sign Algerian midfielder Ismaël Bennacer. However, the club is also considering other options, such as Brazilian midfielder Wendel from Russian side Zenit St. Petersburg. Still, Bennacer remains the top priority to strengthen the midfield.

Should the deal go through, it is expected to be valued at around €10 million, with a near-final agreement already reached on personal terms with the player.

Bennacer only made 20 appearances last season due to injury, splitting time between Milan and French side Marseille, who had taken him on loan for the second half of the season.

Al-Ahli Also Suffer a Friendly Loss

Elsewhere, AFC Champions League winners Al-Ahli also suffered a preseason defeat, losing 3-1 to Italian side Como at the “Giuseppe Sinigaglia” stadium in the “Como Cup,” a friendly tournament held as part of their preseason preparations.

Al-Ahli began the match with high pressing, which led to a defensive error from Como. French winger Allan Saint-Maximin played a through ball to Brazilian star Galeno, who scored the opener in the 7th minute. However, the Italian side came from behind to score three goals and secure the win.

At the same time, Al-Ahli is set to participate in the Saudi Super Cup, scheduled to take place in Hong Kong between August 19 and 23, replacing Al-Hilal, who withdrew due to technical reasons.

Al-Ahli will face King’s Cup runners-up Al-Qadsiah in the semi-final on August 20.

German manager Matthias Jaissle has given the green light for Al-Ahli’s participation in the tournament, expressing his desire to enter the new league season in peak condition.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced last Sunday that it had received an official letter from Al-Hilal confirming their withdrawal from the Super Cup.

The Federation stated that it will take the necessary measures in accordance with the relevant regulations and laws through the appropriate committees, emphasizing its commitment to upholding these standards and protecting the interests of all stakeholders, in line with its charter approved by the General Assembly.