Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate was in the thick of France's UEFA Nations League play-off tie with Croatia
Comments
Sport
Updated 21:25, 20 Mar 2025
Ibrahima Konate during a France game
Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate endured a nightmare first half ending with an injury scare playing for France against Croatia
(Image: Igor Kralj/Pixsell/MB Media/Getty Images)
Ibrahima Konate was caught up in a handball controversy before picking up a potential injury with France on Thursday night.
Les Bleus suffered a nightmare first half playing Croatia, and it all started when the Liverpool man gave away a penalty for handball.
Article continues below
Starting almost all matches when fit alongside Virgil van Dijk the 25-year-old is often imperious and has been an unforgiving challenge for Premier League attackers to overcome.
The Liverpool partnership share an average of 0.69 goals conceded per 90 minutes (23 in 33 matches) in all competitions this season.
Therefore it is a shame to say that Konate has found himself struggling again on the international stage.
Selected alongside Arsenal's William Saliba as a central defensive duo for France's UEFA Nations League play-off first-leg meeting with Croatia in Split, it was the Reds' No.5 who handled the ball in the penalty area almost immediately.
READ MORE: Arne Slot can unlock new deadly Liverpool partnership - but only if Mo Salah staysREAD MORE: Richard Hughes 'knows Dean Huijsen well' as two conditions set for £50m Liverpool transfer
Konate looked astounded when Norwegian referee Espen Eskas blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.
Replays, though, showed the ball strike the player's outstretched hand as he was still positioning himself to defend.
At least to spare his blushes in that moment, France goalkeeper Mike Maignan saved Andrej Kramaric's spot kick with his outstretched leg, all while more replays showed supporters targeted him with laser pointers from the stands.
But before the second half could end the French would concede twice - a nightmare scenario.
The first was crossed in over Konate and headed in by Ante Budimir and the second was thrashed in by Ivan Perisic on Saliba's side.
Didier Deschamps could have opted to start Dayot Upamecano, who was on the bench, as the country have kept 13 clean sheets the last 16 times he has started.
Alternatively, tonight's goals shipped make it zero clean sheets in the last ten matches he has not featured, both according to Stats Foot.
And to heap more misery on the situation back in Liverpool, their prized defender was reported to have been forced off at half-time with an unspecified injury.
That was according to the France national team's Twitter account, who wrote: "Dayot Upamecano replaces Ibrahima Konaté, who picked up a knock in the first half."