French striker and captain of Al-Ittihad, Karim Benzema, praised his team's performance after their 4-1 victory over Al-Shabab in the quarterfinals of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, emphasizing his focus on what lies ahead.

Benzema scored a hat-trick that led the team to victory in the match held at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah on Saturday evening, emphasizing the importance of preparing for the semifinal.

In his statements to "Thamaniya" channel, Benzema said: "It doesn't matter who the opponent will be; we will find out after the draw, and then we will focus on preparing well for the semifinal match with full strength."

When asked about the team's inconsistent performance in recent matches, he explained: "Football is complex, and we play every three days, so the team must always be at its best readiness to ensure delivering the best possible performance."

The French striker pointed out that the team did not perform at the required level in the past rounds, emphasizing the need to show a new attitude and work harder, as they did against Al-Shabab, to secure the victory.

Benzema confirmed that the big win against Al-Shabab reflects the collective effort and the work done during the preparation period, adding that the team will continue to prepare and stay focused to face the semifinal in the best possible way.