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Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has heaped praise on Reds team-mate Ibrahima Konate for his 'outstanding' performance against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final.
Jurgen Klopp's side locked horns with Los Blancos in the Champions League final at the Stade de France on Saturday, May 28. The La Liga champions emerged victorious on the night, beating the English club 1-0.
Vinicius Jr's 59th-minute goal fired Real Madrid to their 14th Champions League glory. Liverpool had nine shots on target in the match, but Thibaut Courtois' heroics in goal ensured a win for Carlo Ancelotti's side
Saturday's defeat proved to be another heartbreak for the Reds, who lost the Premier League to Manchester City by one point last weekend. Konate, though, was one of the shining lights for them on Saturday.
The Frenchman did exceptionally well to keep Karim Benzema and Vinicius at bay for most of the game. Several Liverpool fans even took to Twitter to hail the centre-back after the game.
Alexander-Arnold has now waxed lyrical about Konate following his impressive performance against Real Madrid. The Liverpool right-back claimed that the Frenchman has 'ridiculous' potential. He told LFC TV [via The Anfield Talk on Twitter]:
“Wow. Outstanding. The performance he put in yesterday [Saturday; ed.], I’m lost for words. Words can’t do it justice. We’ve created a bond & he’s an amazing lad. The potential he has is ridiculous. The sky is the limit.”
Konate made three tackles, one interception and won five of his six ground duels. He successfully completed both of his dribble attempts, gave one key pass, and had a passing accuracy of 88% in the 48 passes made.
Ibrahima Konate suffers first Liverpool defeat against Real Madrid
Ibrahima Konate joined the Reds from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig for a sum of £36 million last summer. The 23-year-old has since been a regular for Jurgen Klopp's side, making 29 appearances across all competitions.
It is worth noting that the Anfield outfit did not lose any of the games the centre-back played in until Saturday. The disappointment at the Stade de France was Konate's first defeat in Liverpool colours.
The Frenchman also found the back of the net thrice and provided one assist in his first season with the Premier League giants. He helped the Reds win the EFL Cup and FA Cup as well. Having enjoyed a fruitful debut season at Anfield, he will be looking to kick on in the next campaign.
