Starting in the French team before the Euro, Ibrahima Konaté lost his place in Didier Deschamps’ starting lineup during the competition, to the detriment of William Saliba. Asked about its downgrade in the Channel Football Clubthis Sunday, the Liverpool defender indicated that the Arsenal player had earned his place in the French rearguard. Even if this situation is not the most ideal for him.
“ That’s what was difficult, to be a constant starter and not to play in a key competition for which we prepared. It was hard from a private and personal point of view. But now William Saliba is a friend, he’s like a brother to me, so when he was the starter, I was chatting with him and I told him: “it’s your moment, take it, I I played a lot of matches.” There is no mercy in competition. I am close to him. The performances he has done at Arsenal recently, he deserves that too. I was happy for him. I know the ins and outs of why I didn’t get a start. I hadn’t played in recent months, I lacked rhythm, you could feel it in training. The coach told me that today, there are better people than me in this position. It was a big lesson for me. Nothing is ever taken for granted in life. You always have to work. It gave me more strength and I am even more determined. I’m here to show what I’ve always done », declared the player trained at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard.
