AS: Konate's 12 blocks a defensive highlight for Real Madrid

As noted by AS, Konate has become one of the most important defensive standouts in El Clasico, following his impressive performance against Barcelona. He has proven his improved form and ability to take on the toughest challenges, thus becoming the core of the defense Mourinho wants to solidify.

AS believes that the French defender has overcome the intense criticism he faced last season at Liverpool – both for his declining form and the delay in contract renewal – as he reappeared at Camp Nou with a new look, delivering a solid and focused defensive performance, like an insurmountable rock.

Since July 13 last year, Mourinho has demanded that players show "hunger" and a desire to win, both in matches and in training at the Valdebebas training ground.

Konate was one of the players who quickly grasped the coach's demands, almost without needing repeated reminders.

Before the match against RB Leipzig, Konate spoke about Mourinho: "He doesn't need to talk constantly, because he has an authority that many coaches don't."

These words reflect the mutual respect between them, especially as Konate's fighting spirit and focus on the field no longer need to be proven.

Konate's statistics show how much influence he has on defense. He leads the team in blocks with 12, four more than Rudiger, who is in second place.

This number indicates that Konate always steps in at critical moments, but this kind of defensive work does not always get the attention it deserves.

Konate's strengths are not limited to blocking shots; he is also strong in physical confrontations, not giving opponents room to easily gain an advantage.

This solidity was one of the important reasons Mourinho immediately approved the French defender's transfer.

However, Konate's tough defensive actions have also earned him 4 yellow cards so far, making him the first Real Madrid player this season to face a suspension risk in LaLiga.

Despite entering El Clasico with the risk of suspension, Konate did not receive any yellow cards in the fiercely contested match, which is further proof of his improved form and more mature control of his actions.

With his current performances, Konate has secured his position as a center-back, while the experienced Rudiger has now become the first substitute option.

On the other side, Huijsen is working hard to improve his physical confrontation ability in defense. He set this as a priority last summer, and now he uses his French teammate as a benchmark for progress, which might also explain the Spanish defender's more cautious playing style today.

However, Konate's arrival was not without mistakes. At the end of August last year, he made a clear error in his first league appearance at the Bernabeu against Real Sociedad.

In one defensive play, the French defender reacted stiffly to Oyarzabal's dribble, even pulling two meters away from his marked opponent, which resulted in a chance for Luka Sucic to equalize 1-1.

This mistake also brought back memories of Konate's image at Liverpool last season, when he was criticized for his performance.

However, after a minor injury, he was out for a long time, mostly recovering at the Valdebebas training ground, and his condition significantly improved as a result.

Against Real Sociedad, Konate looked far from his best; his performance then steadily improved, reaching its peak in El Clasico, where he delivered one of Real Madrid's most impressive defensive actions this season, proving once again that he can become an insurmountable wall.

Konate's most truly outstanding test came when he faced Barcelona star Yamal's continuous two-pronged attack. The French defender neutralized the threat in two different ways.

First, he used his body and arm strength to keep Yamal away from the ball, while maintaining his balance and not bringing down his opponent; second, he quickly dropped to the ground to block the shooting angle, stopping the ball from getting through. This defense demonstrated his reaction speed and accurate judgment.

Konate delivered an almost perfect performance in El Clasico, proving that he can be the foundation of Mourinho's defense. Mourinho hopes to regain the defensive stability that can allow the team to keep clean sheets, and Real Madrid has only done so twice this season, against Málaga and Villarreal, respectively.

This issue is even more important because Real Madrid has failed to keep clean sheets even in some relatively easy wins. For example, when they defeated Sevilla 4-1, Real Madrid conceded one goal, making it 3-1; the same happened against RB Leipzig, when Real Madrid was leading 3-1, the German team also scored one goal, and Real Madrid still won with the same score.

Although conceding goals may not be a big problem as long as the team wins, Mourinho has not ignored this loophole, because he knows that keeping clean sheets is still key to building a strong team and competing for honors.

Therefore, it is particularly important for Konate to continue maintaining his recent level, which will help Real Madrid regain defensive balance and achieve the stability Mourinho desires.