Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté has said he would “die” for the club and has admitted to playing through pain in order to help his team challenge for the Premier League title.
Konaté was sidelined for more than a month after sustaining a knee injury during Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in November, returning to the starting lineup in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United earlier this month.
“I tried to come back 100% but I’m not because I rushed my comeback with my knee,” Konaté said in a news conference on Monday. “I’ve done this for my team. I can die for this team, it is fine. My knee will come back 100% soon, it’s fine. I still have pain. I play with painkillers and that is enough for me to play.
“I was very close to coming back anyway. My plan was to train that week but when I saw Joe [Gomez] with his injury I was like: ‘Okay, I have to come back quicker.’ For sure, the first game I felt my knee a little bit, but it gets better day after day. The physios and the medical staff have done a great job for me.”
Konaté has been a standout performer under Arne Slot, helping Liverpool establish a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. Asked whether he believes he and Virgil van Dijk are the best centre-back pairing in Europe, the France international said: “This season, yes. Everybody knows Virgil, everyone knows his quality.
“For me, he is the best, no one is better than him in this position. I never said it to him, but I want to be better than him one day, but I just want to work hard to reach that level one day.”
He added: “I came to this club when I was 21. I was really young, and I think I grew up in every situation as a human and a player. The club helped me enough to be the captain of the French squad [against Italy in November]. It was a great moment for me but I just have to work hard to be in this way.”
Konaté, who is out of contract in 2026, also confirmed Liverpool have offered him a new deal. However, the 25-year-old refused to be drawn on whether he will stay at Anfield beyond next summer.
“I’m really focused on what will happen now and then we will see what happens,” he said. “This is another conversation.”
