Benzema still stuck in Mauritius ahead of Dubai return

Karim Benzema is still stranded in Mauritius waiting to catch a flight to Dubai, where his club Al-Ittihad are waiting for him to begin pre-season training.

Head coach Marcelo Gallardo called him up to join the team last week, but the striker’s attempts to leave the island this weekend ended without success and the same thing happened on Monday.

The problem is that Storm Belal, the name of the cyclone, continues to hit the islands of Reunion and Mauritius with high winds.

The former Real Madrid player is currently in Mauritius, where wind gusts of up to 120 kmh are wreaking havoc for those trying to leave the Indian Ocean island, according to the weather forecast reported by the METAR TAF website.

Apart from the strong wind, which has been the main issue preventing him from flying, the island has also been affected by heavy storms in recent days. Flooding in the area has made it difficult to move around Mauritius’ capital, Port Louis, which has been confined by the authorities.

As MARCA revealed last week, the striker had been given a deadline of last Friday to report with the rest of the team and travel to Dubai. Gallardo did not want to give preferential treatment and the Argentinian will continue without the player at their training camp in the Emirati city.

Rumors of Premier League interest

For several weeks now, rumors have been swirling about Karim Benzema’s possible departure from the Saudi Pro League.

The Telegraph suggests that Chelsea are considering a short-term loan agreement for the 35-year-old until June, while Manchester United have also been linked.

However, this is not an option that the Frenchman is currently contemplating, despite a difficult start to life in the Saudi capital since his free transfer from Real Madrid. In fact, his plan now is to arrive as soon as possible in Dubai and join up with his team-mates again.