News'Work so, so hard' - Ibrahima Konate's message for success
“Work so, so hard to keep going,” is the message from Ibrahima Konate as Liverpool push to ensure 2024-25 is successful.
After the 2-0 victory away at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, the Reds retain a six-point lead of the Premier League with a game in hand on nearest pursuers Arsenal.
Elsewhere, Arne Slot’s men are safely into the Champions League last 16 as seeds after topping the league phase with seven wins from eight games.
They will try to reach Wembley later this week when they host Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, and then contest an Emirates FA Cup fourth-round tie at Plymouth Argyle on Sunday.
“We have had a great start and everything is fine for us at the moment, even in the Champions League,” Konate was quoted in a recent matchday programme.
“But I think the most important thing is that we start again and we work even harder because we’re into the second part of the season now.
“We have to work a lot because everyone wants to beat us, so we just have to keep going all the way to the end. It will be very difficult and we have to work so, so hard just to keep going and remain calm.”
The No.5 added: “Of course, this title [the Premier League] is the only one that has been missing between my hands in England [domestically] and I really hope this season we will achieve that.
“We know all our fans are behind us and we have to do everything we can to achieve this.”
Konate has made 21 starts so far this season, with his latest alongside Virgil van Dijk in central defence featuring a clean sheet on the south coast at the weekend.
The duo have been in formidable form throughout the campaign – individually and as a partnership – and France international Konate further underscored his appreciation and admiration for his elder colleague.
“What a defender!” he said of Van Dijk. “I think if we talk about him and what he has done, it’s unbelievable.
“I have a very good relationship with Virgil on the pitch and outside of the pitch. And when I came here as a 21-year-old he gave me a lot of advice and helped me with my adaptation here.
“When I was in Leipzig I watched some games of Liverpool and I didn’t realise how good he was. Then when I came here, sometimes I’d think, ‘No! How is this possible?’ And now I think because he’s too good, some strikers see Virgil and are just thinking: ‘I have no chance against him.’
“On the pitch I need him and I think it’s the same way for him, hopefully! I know how good he can be for me and we just work together and try to be the best partnership in the world.
“For me personally, before I had my injury [in late November] I think we were on the top level and I think a lot of people felt that as well, but we know that we just have to keep going in this way.”