Exclusive: Ibrahima Konate – Virgil van Dijk ‘on a different planet’, season has been ‘complicated'
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ByEurosport
Updated 23/03/2023 at 09:54 GMT
It’s no secret to anyone who has watched the Premier League this season that Liverpool have had a difficult season. The former European champions have rebounded a bit and are now sixth, seven points off fourth place. Speaking exclusively to Eurosport France defender Ibrahima Konate said the season has been ‘complicated’ whilst heaping praise on Virgil van Dijk.
Klopp: Liverpool face ‘massive task’ to qualify for the Champions League
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is “on a different planet” according to his fellow centre-back Ibrahima Konate.
Van Dijk, 31, joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2018 and has established himself as one of the best central defenders in the world.
And speaking exclusively to Eurosport France Konate, 23, said that Van Dijk is on another level when asked to compare the Dutchman to his international team-mate Dayot Upamecano.
In response to the question Konate laughed and said “What kind of question is that? You can't compare the two.
“With Upamecano, we are in the same category even if he is a very high competitor.
"But Van Dijk, I put him on a different planet.
“We're still a long way from achieving what he did. Although we will get there one day, I have no doubt.”
Konate went on to praise Van Dijk for having an “aura” when he is on the pitch and when asked what he had learned most from his more experienced team-mate he said: “Leadership, he has such an ease in defending on certain players.
“He has his own technique, it's incredible. His determination, his drive... He has an aura on the pitch, you always feel it.
“It's an exceptional chance to play with him. But I also have to look at my career and not look at him as a fan all the time.”
In terms of his own career, Konate says that he wants to be a Red for a long time.
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Ibrahima Konaté
Image credit: Getty Images
“When you play for Liverpool, the question honestly is, ‘Where can I go next?’” he says.
“And to last at this club, you have to perform. My goal is to be part of the team in the short and long term, and of course to win all the titles.”
He added that the season so far, which has seen the club fighting for the top four and not for the title, has been difficult.
“We'll admit it: this season is more complicated for all of us, for the whole club. Nobody is better placed to talk about the reasons than the coach.
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Jürgen Klopp
Image credit: Getty Images
“We were unlucky to have a lot of injured players like me at the beginning of the season, maybe we were short of manpower, the workload was intense and it became complicated. But the season is not over.”
There have been signs of upturn as well, none more so than the astonishing 7-0 hammering of Manchester United.
“I admit that it's an exceptional score,” Konate said about the game.
“But 24 hours after the victory, I had completely forgotten about it. I was focused on the game in Madrid [the second leg of the Champions League].
“That was all I could think about. It's a historic, crazy success but I quickly moved on.”
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