Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate has announced the death of his father, Hamady, on Instagram. The 26-year-old missed the Reds' Champions League match against Marseille on Wednesday night due to a family matter.
Konate shared details of his father's funeral, scheduled for Friday, along with the message: “From Him we come, and to Him we return.” He was absent from Liverpool's open training session on Tuesday and was not part of the travelling squad for the match in France.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot described the situation as “very sad” for Konate during an interview with TNT Sports before the game. In Konate's absence, Joe Gomez partnered Virgil van Dijk in defence, helping Liverpool secure a 3-0 victory and a clean sheet.
Van Dijk expressed his support for Konate after the match, saying: “My thoughts are with him. I'm very happy to play with Joe. We are good friends, that helps as well. He played outstanding and was important in the first goal.”
It remains uncertain whether Konate will return for Liverpool's Premier League match against Bournemouth on Saturday. Slot is expected to provide an update during his press conference on Friday morning.
