Ibrahima Konate has handed Liverpool a new injury worry after he was substituted at half-time of France’s 2-0 defeat to Croatia on Thursday.
The defender is just one of a large number of Reds in action during the international break, with France taking on Croatia in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League. The clash is of course a replay of the 2018 World Cup final, which the French won to claim their second title.
But, while Cody Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk were enjoying a great night with the Netherlands, Konate certainly wasn’t having as much fun. He was brought off at half-time by France boss Didier Deschamps, with Les Bleus’ official X account revealing he had picked up a knock during the first half.
Things couldn’t have gone much worse for the Liverpool defender during the first half in Split. Having been given the nod to start alongside Arsenal’s William Saliba at the heart of the defense, Konate’s nightmare began just minutes into the first half when he conceded a penalty.
He was somewhat unlucky to see the ball bounce up onto his hand from a fairly innocuous ball towards Ante Budimir, although his blushes were somewhat spared when Mike Maignan saved Andrej Kramaric’s spot-kick.
Things wouldn’t get any better for Konate though, with his positioning leaving a lot to be desired when Croatia eventually took the lead midway through the first half. He was caught in no-man’s land as Ivan Perisic sent the ball in from the left, with Budimir sneaking in behind him to head home.
Perisic would go on to compound France’s misery just before half-time as he volleyed home Croatia’s second in stoppage time, with Konate making way at the break for Dayot Upemecano. According to the French national team’s presence on social media, the change was made after the Liverpool defender picked up a knock.
That may well add to another headache for Liverpool boss Arne Slot after Ryan Gravenberch was sent home early by the Netherlands, having picked up an injury during the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle.
The Reds already have Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez out injured, as well as Tyler Morton, and an injury to Konate would leave them desperately short in defense, with Jarell Quansah having already been forced to fill in at right-back at Wembley.
