Ibrahima Konate says he’s impressed to win trophies for “unbelievable” Mohamed Salah and tipped his Liverpool team-mate to win the Ballon d’Or.
The Egyptian ahead, 32, is at the moment having fun with the very best season of his illustrious profession, resigstering 21 objectives and 17 assists in 29 appearances for the Premier League title chasers.
Salah has beforehand by no means completed increased than fifth within the Ballon d’Or standings, and Konate is set to assist Liverpool win as many trophies as attainable to make sure he lastly wins the award.
“All the pieces he has completed for the reason that begin of the season, even since he’s performed for Liverpool – it’s loopy what he’s completed,” defender Konate mentioned.
“I actually hope we’ll obtain nice issues this season as a result of if he retains going like this, I feel on the finish of the season he can win the Ballon d’Or.
“He won’t ever say that as a result of I feel his goal is simply to win massive issues with Liverpool. He doesn’t actually take into consideration himself like, ‘okay, I need to rating extra objectives, I need to have extra assists’ – he simply desires to win the sport.
“He simply desires to share his expertise with the brand new gamers, younger gamers. And for me, it’s unbelievable to be a participant like that at his age and to be so skilled like that.”
Konate on Van Dijk: ‘What a defender’
Konate additionally reserved reward for centre-back companion and Reds captain Virgil van Dijk, admitting he was not conscious of the Dutch defender’s capability earlier than he arrived at Anfield.
“What a defender,” he smiles once more. “After I was in Leipzig and I watched some Liverpool video games, I didn’t realise how good he was.
“And once I got here right here generally I’d simply assume, no, how is that this attainable? He’s too good. After I first got here right here, he gave me numerous recommendation and he helped my adaptation.
“On the pitch now, how I would like him, I feel it’s the identical for him with me. We simply work collectively and attempt to be the very best partnership on the earth.
“Some strikers see Virgil, and are identical to ‘okay, now I’ve no likelihood towards him’. They don’t give 100 per cent.”
Slot vs Klopp
The duo’s defensive chemistry has gone up one other stage since supervisor Arne Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp in Merseyside, with solely Arsenal bettering the Reds’ defensive document this season.
Konate believes Slot has introduced a brand new stage of management and defined the variations between how the backline capabilities this time period in comparison with their years underneath his German predecessor.
He added: “[Trent Alexander-Arnold] helps lots once we assault which leaves me with an enormous area to defend. However how the supervisor has defined to us to defend all collectively has helped me and the crew lots.
“In case you can see and evaluate to the final season or the season earlier than as effectively, we have been extra uncovered. However now once we lose the ball, everybody tries to assist the crew and I feel we’re extra collectively.
“No one was anticipating the supervisor to do what he has completed for the reason that begin of the season. He has an important thought of enjoying, he is aware of what to do and it’s not about adaptation to the opposite crew. I feel this makes numerous distinction for us in comparison with underneath Jurgen.”
The post Konate decided to Ballon d’Or for ‘unbelieveable’ Liverpool team-mate first appeared on Foot & Soccer.
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Author : footsoccer
Publish date : 2025-01-16 10:42:23
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