Xavi identifies Liverpool’s star as one of the World Cup’s top players thus far
Xavi, the coach of Barcelona, praised Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté for his performance in the first round of the World Cup.
Didier Deschamps started the Frenchman in the 4-1 victory against Australia, but he was relegated to the bench for the 2-1 victory over Denmark, as Manchester United defender Raphal Varane was reinstated in the heart of the defense.
Xavi, a legendary player for Barcelona, was reportedly thrilled with Konaté’s performance versus Australia, in which he started from the beginning.
During a Q&A session on FIFA’s official Twitter account, the current Barca manager was asked which defensive partnership impressed him in the tournament’s opening round. He responded: “Now, in my opinion, I would say Konaté and [Dayot] Upamecano.”
It is extremely high praise for Konaté, who hasn’t played much for Liverpool this season owing to an injury he sustained in preseason. Liverpool also considered Upamecano prior to his departure from Bayern Munich, but ultimately decided that Konaté was the superior option.
When the World Cup concludes in mid-December, Konaté will likely be Jürgen Klopp’s first option to partner Virgil van Dijk. Konaté had to wait to earn a starting position at Liverpool.
Xavi still has a lot of love for his friend Messi 🥰 pic.twitter.com/wNspexCpX8
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 27, 2022
Xavi identifies Liverpool’s star as one of the World Cup’s top players thus far
