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| Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate poses with the trophy after the Emirates FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Saturday May 14, 2022. |
Ibrahima Konate is undefeated and has two medals, with another two up in the air, since joining Liverpool FC. Despite his achievements, he won’t be playing for the French National Team in the very prestigious and totally essential UEFA Nations League after the Champions League final.
This was what Deschamps had to say about Konate’s exclusion:
“Yes, I’m following [Konate], he’s in a team which is competing in the Champions League final and for the title in England. But since he’s been at Liverpool, he’s mostly played in a four-man defence and there is competition [in the France team]. I brought William [Saliba] last time and he always plays in a back three. It’s either one or the other, it’s very competitive, and that’s very good. It allows for the veterans to not get too comfortable.”
Saliba, currently on loan from Arsenal, does indeed play in a back three at Marseille, where he lines up alongside Luan Peres and almost-Liverpool player Duje Caleta-Car. Fair. I guess Ibou has more time to look at his medals over the summer.
