Monday evening, in the AFC Champions League, Al-Ittihad fell heavily on the pitch of Al-Duhail (4-2) during the 5th day of the group stage. Despite a late double from the French striker (76th, 83rd), who came to try to reduce the gap in Doha, the Saudis were unable to reverse the situation and the Qataris can thank one player.
The big star of the evening is Adil Boulbina. Trailing 4-0 approaching the last quarter of an hour, Benzema’s teammates were dynamited by the Algerian. Aligned on the right, he scored a hat-trick (5th, 55th, 60th) and caused trouble in the opposing defense, notably on an action perfectly launched by Marco Verratti.
‘He is strong’
In the mixed zone, the former Real Madrid player was asked to give his opinion on Boulbina. Benzema, annoyed after the defeat, did not hide his admiration for the 22-year-old. “He is good, he is good, he is strong”won the 2022 Ballon d’Or. Belmadi also praised his player’s performance: “he has the future ahead of him… He is a player with enormous qualities. »
However, Boulbina does not figure in Vladimir Petkovic’s plans for the next African Cup of Nations, scheduled from December 21 to January 18, 2026 in Morocco. He will play with Madjid Bougherra’s A’ selection for the Arab Cup in Qatar, a choice that questions many supporters and observers.
