Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate was left in distress and requiring medical attention after the Reds' resounding victory over Real Madrid.
Arne Slot's team secured an emphatic Champions League win with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, maintaining their flawless record in this year's league phase. However, it was Liverpool's defence that truly shone, with Real Madrid unable to land a shot on target from open play until the 93rd minute.
The formidable duo of Konate and Virgil van Dijk were central to Slot's men's success, becoming only the second team in eight matches to deny Los Blancos a goal. But ahead of Sunday's potentially pivotal match against Manchester City in the Premier League, Liverpool's chances of repeating such a defensive masterclass may have taken a hit as Konate seemed to sustain an injury towards the end of the game.
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The French international was seen crouching down after the final whistle in Merseyside, with the Liverpool medical team rushing to his aid. Although Konate managed to get back on his feet, he was spotted limping down the tunnel, clearly in pain.
If he is ruled out for Sunday's crucial face-off against the four-time consecutive champions, Slot will be compelled to alter his centre-back pairing for the first time since the season's kick-off, reports the Express.
Liverpool FC v Real Madrid C.F. - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5
(Image: (Image: Getty))
Konate was initially benched for Liverpool's season opener against Ipswich Town, but after being subbed in at half-time by Slot, he has since secured his spot in the starting XI for all subsequent matches.
Liverpool boast the best defensive record in the Premier League this season, conceding the fewest goals. However, with Erling Haaland, the division's leading scorer set to visit Anfield soon, Konate is sure to pull out all the stops to ensure he's on the pitch.
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Aside from Konate's potential injury concern, things seem spot-on for Liverpool as they embark on a pivotal week, eyeing an opportunity to extend their lead to 11 points should they triumph over Pep Guardiola's squad this Sunday.
Looking forward to the upcoming battle with City, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, fresh from denying Kylian Mbappe a penalty in their 2-0 win, remarked: "I think confidence is high in the whole squad. We know City have had a tough few results, but what a team. We expect a really tough test but this is good confidence for the team and we will go again."