Ibrahima Konate to Miss Liverpool vs. Aston Villa, Called Up for France’s Euro 2024 Qualifiers
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate is expected to miss Sunday’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa due to injury, but has been called up for France’s Euro 2024 qualifiers. The centre-back picked up a minor muscle injury, with Jurgen Klopp doubting his involvement until after the September international break.
Konate was forced to sit out of the Reds’ trip to Newcastle last weekend, having missed training in the buildup. He is yet to return to training, having not been part of the 30-man squad at the AXA Training Centre in midweek, and therefore is almost certainly out against Villa.
However, positive news has emerged with Konate’s call-up to the France squad for their Euro 2024 qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Germany. There was no expectation that he would be included, but manager Didier Deschamps is hopeful he can take part in the ties on September 7 and 12.
“We’ll assess the situation on Monday, but he’s supposed to be available,” Deschamps told reporters on Thursday. “Of course, I won’t take risks.”
In quotes carried by GFFN, the national team coach continued: “He was stopped for four days, he followed his programme and he will train until Monday. It’s highly likely that he won’t be involved for Liverpool’s game on Sunday.”
While this changes little in terms of Klopp’s diagnosis, it at least allays fears among fans of a longer-term issue for Konate. It is often the case that Klopp will downplay the severity of a muscle issue, with a number of examples of players going on to miss months of action. The hope is that, as Deschamps insists, there will be no risks taken with Konate over the break, and he can build up his fitness ahead of the trip to Wolves on September 16.
Konate’s Injury History
Konate joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021 and has been a regular in the Reds’ defence since then. However, his time at Anfield has been marred by injury issues. He missed the majority of the 2021/22 season with a thigh injury and was also sidelined for a period in 2021 due to a hamstring problem.
The 23-year-old has also suffered from knee issues in the past, which have caused him to miss games for both Liverpool and Leipzig. As such, it is understandable why Klopp is being cautious with Konate’s latest injury and why Deschamps is taking no risks with his call-up to the France squad.
Liverpool’s Defensive Options
With Konate expected to miss Sunday’s game against Aston Villa, Klopp will have to look elsewhere for defensive options. The Reds have plenty of experienced centre-backs in their squad, including Joel Matip, Ozan Kabak, Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams.
Matip is likely to be the first choice if he is fit and available, while Kabak could also be an option if he is deemed ready for a return after missing the last two games due to illness. Phillips and Williams have both impressed when called upon this season and could also feature against Villa.
Conclusion
Ibrahima Konate is expected to miss Liverpool’s game against Aston Villa on Sunday due to injury, but has been called up for France’s Euro 2024 qualifiers. While this changes little in terms of Klopp’s diagnosis, it at least allays fears among fans of a longer-term issue for Konate.
Klopp will have to look elsewhere for defensive options against Villa, with Joel Matip likely to be the first choice if he is fit and available. Ozan Kabak could also be an option if he is deemed ready for a return after missing the last two games due to illness.
The hope is that, as Deschamps insists, there will be no risks taken with Konate over the break, and he can build up his fitness ahead of the trip to Wolves on September 16.