Konate participated in Real Madrid's joint training for the first time on Monday, and due to injuries to Militao and Asensio, he sees an opportunity to become a starter at the beginning of the season.
Konate participated in his first training session as a Real Madrid player this Monday, and his arrival coincides with a tense period for the team's defense. The injuries to Militao and Asensio mean that Real Madrid's first team currently has only three healthy center-backs available—Rüdiger, Huijsen, and Konate. In addition, Huijsen missed the first official warm-up match due to physical discomfort, which also provided more opportunities for Konate. After a World Cup where he struggled to get playing time for the French national team, Konate comes to Madrid with a strong desire to win and prove himself.
Real Madrid needed to strengthen their defense and locked in Konate in the transfer market. This is also a regular operation for Real Madrid's management recently: contacting players whose contracts are about to expire and convincing them not to renew with their original clubs with a phone call. Konate, who performed exceptionally well at Liverpool last season, aims to become a defensive pillar at Real Madrid. Real Madrid's defense suffered frequent injuries last season, and the French center-back played 36 rounds in the Premier League. His healthy condition is precisely why Real Madrid decided to sign him.
Rüdiger has a great advantage due to his experience and the club's trust and is likely to secure a starting position. The other spot will be contested between Huijsen and Konate. Huijsen made his official debut in the warm-up match against Ferencváros, and after missing the game against Fiorentina due to injury, he came on as a substitute in the second half. Although his positioning was somewhat problematic in that goal conceded, he showed his usual dominance when in possession. Konate, on the other hand, had a successful season at Liverpool, only appearing in the third group stage match and the third-place play-off at the World Cup. Huijsen's physical condition gives Konate a slight edge in the competition, provided he can regain his match rhythm as soon as possible.
Last season, Real Madrid accumulated 54 injuries across the team, with a large proportion coming from the defense. Mendy only played 9 games, Rüdiger missed the first 9 league games due to a knee injury, and Militao only played 4 games from the 16th round onwards. Huijsen and Asensio were the most frequent defensive players, playing 40 and 34 games respectively, but they also suffered some minor injuries. Real Madrid hopes that this Paris-born center-back can help alleviate the defensive shortage.
Konate also suffered from injuries early in his career, but last season he played 51 games, and in the previous two seasons, he played 41 and 37 times respectively. This deal was completed as a free transfer, another successful operation for Real Madrid in the transfer market—signing a starting center-back from a top international team for free. The 27-year-old Konate is in his prime and is seen as a defensive leader who can help Real Madrid return to its peak.
Konate has completed his first training session at Real Madrid and finds a door to a starting position already open before him. The injuries to Militao and Asensio have reduced Real Madrid's defensive candidate list to three: Rüdiger, Huijsen, and Konate. For this center-back, who had a mediocre performance at the World Cup, this is an excellent opportunity to prove himself again.
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