{"id":294359,"date":"2023-10-11T17:51:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:51:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/?p=294359"},"modified":"2023-10-11T17:51:04","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:51:04","slug":"konate-vows-to-become-better-than-van-dijk-at-liverpool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/soccer\/konate-vows-to-become-better-than-van-dijk-at-liverpool\/","title":{"rendered":"Konate vows to become 'BETTER' than Van Dijk at Liverpool"},"content":{"rendered":"
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has laid out his ambitions to become better than his team-mate Virgil van Dijk.<\/p>\n
The centre-back is currently away with the France national team and could face off against the Dutchman when his side play the Netherlands in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Friday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Konate joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021 and has since played 61 times for the Reds, though he has started just twice in this campaign – with Van Dijk and Joel Matip looking like Jurgen Klopp’s starting centre-backs.<\/p>\n
However, the 24-year-old insists he is ‘learning a lot’ from the Dutch defender and that his long-term goal is to surpass him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
‘Very few defenders have managed to do what Van Dijk has done,’ he said ahead of the game, as per RMC Sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate (R) has vowed to become better than Virgil van Dijk (L)<\/p>\n
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Konate says he is learning from the Dutchman as he hailed his achievements at Anfield<\/p>\n
Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n
‘He is a great defender, from whom I am learning a lot. Now, my objective, and he knows it, is to become better than him.’<\/p>\n
He added that former Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos was originally his ‘No 1 model’ who he ‘followed a lot’ as he now bids to carve out his own path.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This season Konate has played 220 minutes for Liverpool, with two starts in the league coming in a 3-1 win against Leicester and in a 3-1 win against Bournemouth.<\/p>\n
His other three appearances in the top flight this season have come from the bench – though he has enjoyed two starts in the Europa League and one in the League Cup – showing that Klopp is keen to give him game time in cup competitions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Van Dijk, meanwhile, has started six times in the Premier League and once in the Europa League.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Dutch star, who has won nearly every trophy available to him at Anfield – including the title the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the Champions League –\u00a0 was suspended for two games after being sent off against Newcastle.<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off\u00a0is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, launching with a preview show today and every week this season.<\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify<\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n