Liverpool defender Konate: FA Cup? Of course I'm excited! | OneFootball

Icon: Tribal Football

Tribal Football

·14 May 2022

Liverpool defender Konate: FA Cup? Of course I'm excited!

Article image:Liverpool defender Konate: FA Cup? Of course I'm excited!

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate admits he's surprised himself with how well he's played in his first season in England.

Konate arrived last summer from RB Leipzig.


OneFootball Videos


"I really don't recall if there were any enquiries made about me moving in January," Konate told Liverpool Echo says on the eve of the FA Cup final against Chelsea.

"At the time there was no clause in my contract which would have allowed me to leave Leipzig under any circumstances. As far as I remember it was some months after [January] that discussions about leaving were undertaken, and that led to me moving here.

"Never at any moment in my life could I have imagined this. I knew I was joining a very big club, a club that has set out to win things, titles and trophies. But this season has been exceptional, a historic one for the club and it's hard to put into words. It's super exciting to be a part of."

Konate was given the shirt for the FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City last month, while it was Matip who was selected alongside Van Dijk for the Carabao Cup final at the end of February.

Konate says: "My expectation was to come here and work. The club has a very strong work ethic. Of course I'm very happy to be playing in these big matches which are coming up so frequently. The coach has placed a lot of trust in me and I'm very happy about that. The thing now is to continue putting in good performances and hopefully get the wins."

Manchester City's need for just four points from the final six on offer undoubtedly puts them in the driving seat as far as the Premier League title goes, but destiny remains firmly in Liverpool's own hands where the FA Cup and Champions League are concerned.

"Of course I'm very excited," Konate says about a potentially historic couple of weeks. "The whole team is. The FA Cup final is a huge event. One goal might be enough, whether it's me who scores it or somebody else, it doesn't bother me either way. The most important thing is to go and win, then come back to Liverpool and celebrate a great victory."

View publisher imprint