Ibrahima Konate provides an update after suffering a knee injury during Liverpool’s Champions League win over Real Madrid

Liverpool‘s Premier League title ambitions have suffered a blow ahead of their highly anticipated clash with Manchester City, with Ibrahima Konate facing a period on the sidelines due to injury. The French defender limped off the pitch in the final stages of Liverpool’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday, following a collision with the Brazilian forward Endrick.

Konate’s injury came as a dampener on an otherwise brilliant night for the Reds, who secured a valuable win against the defending Champions League holders. However, the victory was marred by the injury setbacks to both Konate and fellow defender Conor Bradley, who also sustained a hamstring issue towards the end of the match. Bradley, who had been deputizing for Trent Alexander-Arnold, had a standout performance, particularly in containing Kylian Mbappe. He was forced off, with Joe Gomez replacing him for the final stages of the match.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot addressed the injury concerns at his press conference ahead of the Man City game, providing a less-than-optimistic outlook on both players. “It is difficult to see where they are. It is never a good sign. Conor had to be taken off and Ibou [Konate] didn’t walk off the pitch as he should. We have to wait and see,” Slot remarked.

While Slot’s comments were measured, reports suggest that Bradley could be out for around four weeks due to the hamstring injury, while Konate’s knee problem may sideline him for five to six weeks, potentially ruling him out of Liverpool’s critical fixtures in the coming weeks, including the showdown with City.

On Friday afternoon, Konate took to social media to reassure fans. In an Instagram post, he expressed his frustration at the timing of the injury, stating: “So frustrating to pick up this injury right at the end of a great game on Wednesday night. Now we start the recovery process, but one thing I promise is I will come back and be the best I can be once again. Thank you for the amazing support at Anfield. Inshallah, we will keep going and I will support the team every step of the way.”

With the injury blow to Konate, Liverpool now face an even bigger challenge heading into their upcoming Premier League match against second-place Manchester City. The Reds, currently top of the table, will be hoping to extend their lead to 11 points over the defending champions. A win at Anfield would solidify their position at the top, but the absence of Konate and Bradley could prove costly in a tight contest.