NewsThe mentality behind Ibrahima Konate's unbeaten LFC run
Ibrahima Konate's focus is absolute as he aims to prolong his record of having not suffered a defeat in a Liverpool appearance to date.
The centre-back has featured in 19 games in all competitions since signing for the Reds from RB Leipzig last summer, including 16 starts, and lost none.
It’s a streak Konate would love to continue over the next two months as Jürgen Klopp’s team compete for the Premier League, Champions League and Emirates FA Cup.
“That’s nice to know!” the No.5 said of his unbeaten start to life at Anfield, quoted in last weekend’s official matchday programme.
“I think the last game I lost that I started was with Leipzig in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain in November 2020. I also know that the last time I lost a league game I started was on January 19, 2019 against Dortmund!
“It’s a nice stat to have, but of course it’s not me – it’s the team.”
On Liverpool needing to embrace the pressure of having to try to win every match at this crucial period of the campaign, Konate continued: “Yes, we have to think like that.
“If we just think, ‘Oh, we will see’ then this is not the best mentality. We have to think, ‘Yes, we have to win, to win, to win’ if we are to have the chance to earn another trophy. If we think like that, we will be more focused.
“We have to be like that because we have an unbelievable team here and if we are together we are capable of achieving crazy things this season.”
Konate has already tasted trophy glory with the club, with one of his unbeaten outings coming as a substitute in February’s Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley.
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Introduced at the beginning of extra-time, the 22-year-old then converted his penalty as the Reds prevailed 11-10 in the shootout to clinch the title for a ninth time.
“Very special,” he said of the experience. “It was an incredible game and the intensity and everything was crazy. It was like it was the final of the Champions League!
“To watch the game was crazy and to play was a dream. It was the first title in my professional career. To achieve that with Liverpool meant I was very, very happy but we quickly had to be focused for the next game and so we had to put that to one side and think about the coming fixture.
“But when I think back to the atmosphere from the fans, it was amazing. My big brother and my sister were there and some friends of mine, so it was a very good day.”