Karim Benzema (36, Al Ittihad) and Cristiano Ronaldo (38, Al Nasr), who moved to Saudi Arabia, are fighting for the top scorer. In the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup (ACC) held ahead of the regular season of the Saudi Arabia League, they were ranked at the top of the scoring rankings.
Benzema, who moved to Al Ittihad ahead of 먹튀검증 this season, was immediately reborn as a team solver. He scored a goal in all three matches of the 2023 ACC group stage (Group A). He scored the winning goal in 3 consecutive matches and led the team to 3 consecutive victories. Currently leading scorer.
Ronaldo also scored two goals in this cup competition. On the 1st, in the second leg of the group stage (Group C) against Monastir (Tunisia), he scored the winning goal and led Al Nasr to a 4-1 victory. In the 3rd match against Zamalek (Egypt) on the 3rd, a header goal equalized in the 42nd minute of the second half when they were trailing 0-1, giving the team one point and taking responsibility for advancing to the quarterfinals.
Benzema and Ronaldo, who stood tall as the solvers of each team, ranked first and second in the scoring rankings of this cup competition. Benzema is the sole leader with three goals, while Ronaldo is tied for second with two goals. With the single-death tournament unfolding from the quarterfinals, the battle between the two top scorers is also a point to watch.
The possibility of a head-to-head match between Benzema and Ronaldo in the final is also open. Al Ittihad will meet Al Hilal from the same Saudi Arabia league in the quarterfinals. Al-Nasr faces Morocco’s Raja Casablanca. Even if the two teams win, they do not meet in the semifinals. If both the quarterfinals and semifinals are won side by side, the final match will be held.
Benzema and Ronaldo have been playing together for a long time in Real Madrid, the Spanish Primera Liga’s ‘Invincible Armada’. They joined together in 2009 and played together for 11 seasons until 2018. Until Ronaldo moved to Italian Serie A Juventus in 2018, he coordinated Real Madrid’s mighty attack. Afterwards, Ronaldo went through Manchester United and joined Al Nasr last year, and Benzema wore the Al Ittihad uniform ahead of this season.
‘Soul mates’ is now a thing of the past. After advancing to Saudi Arabia, different teams are doing their best. Attention is focusing on how the battle between Benzema and Ronaldo for the top scorer will continue and whether the two players will be able to face off in the final on a new stage.