While his team concentrates in Saudi Arabia, James Rodriguez tastes Middle Eastern cuisine

Away from the courts since that penalty goal that turned Venezuela on March 29, Colombian footballer James Rodríguez has been unable to continue with his club, Al Rayyan of Qatar.

In the last days of Holy Week, the cucuteño was seen in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, where the 2022 AFC Champions League is being played. It was striking that the midfielder of the Tricolor returned from Venezuela to Qatar to be able to shoot in the continental Asian tournament, but he was unfortunate enough to suffer from a muscle injury that prevented him from participating in the first matches.

Despite the fact that on the social networks of his club he has been seen training regularly, his level is not for a start call in the continental tournament organized by the AFC.

Disappeared from the courts, Rodríguez Rubio has shown what his social life is like in the Middle East. On Saturday, April 16, the footballer was recorded in a restaurant in the capital of Saudi Arabia by Turkish chef Ebubekir Çakmak, who prepared a special dish from his homeland for him in a restaurant in Riyadh.

It is a Baklava, cake made with a paste of crushed pistachios or nuts, distributed in a filo mass and dipped in syrup or honey syrup. Çakmak showed in real time from his TikTok account how the Colombian enjoys one of the Asian eccentricities while being cordially attended by his hosts.

This is how the particular tasting scene was lived with the former Real Madrid player:

The restaurant that James visited would have as its concept and experience the fact that diners are fed in their mouths, so the Colombian warned in advance with a gesture in his hand that they would serve him little to take the first bite while another person accommodates an improvised bib to clean it later.

With a large napkin and the plate cut to pieces, James tasted the dessert dish that was historically one of the most popular sweets in Ottoman gastronomy.

This dessert can be found under different names in Turkish, Iranian and Arabic cuisine, as well as from other countries of the Levant, Armenia, the Maghreb, Greece, the Indian Subcontinent and the Balkans.

For now, James will have to be expected to return to the rallies with his team in Riyadh, where he will face FC Istiklol of Tajikistan and Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia on 23 and 27 April. His team is second in group A of the competition in which Al Rayyan scored 7 points in four matches played.

The leader of the table at the moment is Al-Hilal with 12 points and winning a single match would be unattainable by Al Rayyan in the round of 16 of the competition that grants a quota to the FIFA Club World Cup 2023. This is the struggle for leadership:

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