Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate sends message after France’s defeat to Tunisia
Liverpool fans had a reason to watch France take on Tunisia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup group stage on 30 November as manager Didier Deschamps restored Ibrahima Konate to the starting XI.
The former RB Leipzig centre-back started in the 4-1 win against Australia before being replaced by Manchester United’s Raphael Varane after his return from fitness in the win against Denmark.
They secured qualification against the Danes and the game against Tunisia was arguably a meaningless one for them unless they lost it by a massive margin and risked not finishing first in their group.
Konate was the team’s silver lining in an awful Les Bleus performance against Tunisia. The African nation won 1-0 via a Wahbi Khazri goal in the 58th minute.
The Liverpool star, however, had a titanic game at the back alongside a rather forgetful display from Varane. Konate made 10+ tackles in the game – the first player to do so in this edition of the World Cup.
He also won all eight of his first-half duels against Tunisia. In a game where Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Olivier Giroud were benched, one could say that Deschamps wasn’t too worried about the result.
The loss proved to be harmless and Tunisia still didn’t make it through, with Australia qualifying as the second-placed team. Konate took to his Twitter account after the game and wrote:
“We don’t like defeat! but we have to be focus now for the round of 16. [France flag] #fierdetrebleu #WorldCup @equipedefrance”
The important question now is if Deschamps trusts Konate to start over either Varane or Dayot Upamecano, who was not in the starting XI against the Tunisians. The Liverpool star did not put a foot wrong earlier today and it will be unwarranted and undeserving if he is robbed of a starting XI spot in the last 16 clash against Poland on 4 December.
